Harry and Ginny Journey Ending, Journey Beginning
by Nitingale
Summary: On Hiatus. Why's he with her again? Harry Potter seethed through clenched teeth, his green eyes darkening to a dangerous jade color. I don't know when or if I'll finish posting. The story is complete though, but I think I've lost it on my computer.
1. Chapter 1: Harry's Epiphany

**_HARRY AND GINNY: JOURNEY ENDING, JOURNEY BEGINNING_**

**____****CHAPTER ONE: HARRY'S EPIPHANY**

"Why's he with her again?" Harry Potter seethed out through clenched teeth, his green eyes flashing to a dangerous Jade color. He was outside with his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

Ron and Hermione didn't have to ask who Harry was talking about for they knew it would be the same two people he had been talking about for ages now, or so it seemed. They were fellow Gryffindors, Ginny Weasley and Landon Vance. Both Ginny and Landon were in their sixth year at Hogwarts whereas Harry, Ron and Hermione were in their seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

"They're always together, it's really disgusting actually," continued Harry. "Why on earth Ginny would associate herself with that worthless git..." but whatever else Harry was going to say got cut off by Hermione slamming her Transfiguration book shut.

"Harry for goodness sake come OFF it!" Hermione snapped at him exasperated. "Ginny and Landon are friends and fellow Quidditch players! Not to mention that they are in the same year." She glared at Harry and then looked at Ron as if beseeching him to say something to help, but Ron had suddenly become very interested in flipping through the pages of his Transfiguration book. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Harry.

She tried from another angle, "Honestly Harry why don't you just TELL Ginny that you like her?" but this succeeded in only making Harry angrier.

"Of course I like Ginny! she's Ron's sister and I don't want her to get hurt, that Landon Vance has a reputation for using girls and then dropping them when a prettier one comes along," exclaimed Harry as if this was the reason that he was angry. He turned to Ron, "Ron back me up! Aren't you worried about Ginny's happiness too?" And he shot Ron a dark look.

"Hey mate of course I care but Ginny knows how to take care of herself and she knows what Landon's reputation is, everyone knows" said Ron. He knew the real reason behind Harry's anger but until Harry was able to admit it himself, he wouldn't push.

Harry slammed his Transfiguration book shut and said something about he was heading to the common room and stormed off towards the castle doors. He cast one more dark look Ginny and Landon's way and disappeared inside.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, "Do you think he will ever realize it?" Hermione asked Ron.

Ron sighed as he shook his head. He reached out for Hermione's hand and said, "I don't know, look how long it took me to realize my feelings for you." They smiled at each other and Hermione opened her book up again and they went back to studying still holding hands.

Harry was furious with himself and he didn't even know why exactly. Oh he had an idea but he didn't know if he cared for the solution to much.

Harry had dealt with so much pain, hurt and anger more then most seventeen year old boys muggles or wizards alike. Harry was "the boy who lived" he let out a harsh laugh; he didn't understand what was so wonderful about it. He had lost his parents to the Dark Lord, he lived with his Uncle, Aunt and cousin all of which who hated and feared him and his kind, he lived with them for eleven miserable years. He then came to Hogwarts the only home he ever felt like he had only to deal with stares and ridicule from people, and had to risk his life on more then one occasion because of Voldemort, defeating him every time. He had found and then lost his godfather, and now he had a prophecy on his head that basically said he had to kill Voldemort or be killed by him.

All Harry wanted and cared about was to have a normal life with parents who love him, which he didn't have, good friends which he did have, and a girlfriend which he had yet to have any luck with. He's had his share of girlfriends but none lasted long except for Parvati Patil, they were together for eight months last year, it ended on a bad tone though. He had, had a crush on Cho Chang from his third year to his fifth year which didn't work either, he had even tried dating Luna Lovegood, and those didn't work either. He had come to the conclusion that dating and love weren't for him.

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___He cast one more dark look Ginny and Landon's way and disappeared inside.  
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While Harry continued making his solitary way upstairs to the Tower, Ginny and Landon were still outside.

"GINNY! Earth to Ginny!" said Landon teasingly for he noticed she was not paying attention to him anymore. Ginny had caught sight of Harry storming into the castle and she sighed. "GINNY!" Landon said again louder this time.

Ginny snapped out of her reverie and looked at Landon, "What? Oh sorry Landon" said Ginny. Right now Ginny wanted to be anywhere but with Landon Vance, she knew how he was and she knew what he was trying to do. Unfortunately all subtle hints that she threw him at him either he was too dense to understand or he just ignored her when she tried to tell/show him she was not interested. "What were you saying Landon?" She saw Ron and Hermione and started heading towards them.

"I was saying that if you wanted we could practice Quidditch so you can work on the maneuvers Potter gave you, Persephone and Alyssa. I could play Keeper even though I'm a beater, what do you say?" Landon said again. He was determined to win Ginny's heart, he knew what his reputation was and he was neither ashamed nor proud of it but Ginny Weasley made him wish he didn't have that reputation.

"Sure we can practice but we should have at least one more chaser to help with the training." Said Ginny she made it to where Hermione and Ron were sitting and sank down into the grass under the birch tree, so she did not see Landon's face fall. "Hey big brother mind if we join you?" Ginny asked with a pleading look that she took care that Landon did not notice.

Hermione who had seen it smiled and said "Sure you can join us." She nudged Ron and looked pointedly at Landon.

Ron who ever since he and Hermione started dating would do anything to make Hermione happy said cheerfully, "Why not? I could use a break from my slave driver." He glanced teasingly at Hermione and held tight to her hand as she tried to pull away. She glared at Ron but he pretended to look innocent. Ron knew that Hermione was still a little uncomfortable about people seeing them hold hands but he was determined to make her relax about it. Ron visibly saw Hermione "melt" at his look of innocence.

They looked up at Landon who remained standing. "Are you going to sit down with us?" asked Ginny.

Landon sank down next to her on the grass only to jump up the next moment, and he started walking away.

"Hey Landon! What's wrong?!" called Ginny only to be ignored. "What's wrong with him?" She asked confusedly.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other trying to conceal their amusement. Ginny poked Ron in the ribs. "OUCH what?" he looked into Ginny's face and sighed. "I'm not sure Ginny but I think that Landon wanted to spend some time with you without us." He said, he and Hermione smiled again as they heard Ginny whisper "boys" under her breath.

"So, why did Harry walk away so mad at you?" she asked anxious to change the subject off of Landon.

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___He had come to the conclusion that dating and love weren't for him.   
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Harry was still lost in thought on his way to the tower when he bumped into or rather he was the one that was bumped into by Draco Malfoy. "Get out of the way Potter!" he spoke maliciously to Harry, meanwhile Crabbe and Goyle were grunting behind Malfoy and cracking their knuckles. "I think I smell something foul, it must be you Potter, really you should take a shower more then once a month." Malfoy continued. "As a matter of fact I think I'll have to clean you up myself."

Malfoy's hand plunged into his robes for his wand but before he could utter a sound out of nowhere a voice shouted___"Expelliarmus!"_and Draco's wand flew out of his hand and at the feet of Professor Helixa. The first and only female Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at least in Harry's time here unless you could consider that horrible toad Umbridge as a female, Harry couldn't, to him she was just an ugly creature dressing like a female. He rather liked Professor Helixa she reminded him of Professor Lupin minus the whole werewolf thing.

Professor Helixa was also the only DADA teacher that had lasted longer then a year; she came in Harry's sixth year and was still here. Harry, Ron and Hermione often joked about it saying how it took a woman teacher to break the jinx.

She picked up Malfoy's wand and said "Do my eyes and ears deceive me or were you just about to jinx, hex, or curse Mr. Potter for just walking and minding his own business Mr. Malfoy?" She raised her eyebrow at him apparently waiting for an explanation to which Draco clearly had none. "I didn't think so, now off with you before I take points away from Slytherin." She handed Draco his wand back to him as a final dismissal and warning.

When Draco, Crabbe and Goyle disappeared out of sight and earshot Professor Helixa looked at Harry and asked "Are you alright Harry? You seemed troubled when you were...er...bumped into by Mr. Malfoy."

Harry looked up at Professor Helixa and mumbled "fine, thanks" and then continued on his way to the Tower.

Why couldn't he be normal? was all he kept thinking he was tired of being watched and guarded by everyone, he was tired of his friends casting worried looks in his direction when they thought he wasn't looking. He finally broke down at the end of his fifth summer and told Ron and Hermione everything about the prophecy and he knew Dumbledore had told certain members of the Order as well.

Harry finally reached the Fat Lady's portrait, she was snoozing but he said the password___"Carpe Diem"_and she swung forward to reveal the hole which led to the Common Room. Harry had sincerely hoped that no one would be in there but Parvati Patil and Lavendar Brown were in there no doubt going over the newest edition in Professor Trelawney's homework. Parvati and Lavendar stopped talking when he walked in.

When Harry found out back in his fifth year that he didn't need Divination to become an Auror he dropped that class and signed up for "Ancient Runes" surprisingly he enjoyed it.

"Hello Parvati, Lavendar enjoying your Divination homework?" asked Harry smiling slightly.

"Hi Harry, what're you doing inside on such a fine September day?" asked Lavendar, Parvati was ignoring him.

"I could ask you the same thing but I know from experience that you two enjoy doing your Divination homework on your own," Harry said still smiling, but sadly now.

He hated how he and Parvati had broken up, and truth be told he missed her a bit. He could still tell Parvati was sad to; even a full summer away from each other couldn't mask some of the sadness.

Harry had cared a great deal for Parvati, and he knew a small part of him still did, but he knew they could never get back the trust that was lost.

"So what does old Trelawney have you working on now?" he asked and he gazed over the girls shoulders to try to see what it is, but they covered it up before he could see anything.

"Nothing Harry, just more Dream Journal stuff," said Parvati coloring a bit. "Where are Hermione and Ron?"

"Hermione is grilling Ron for our Transfiguration quiz McGonagall told us about." After he spoke there was an uncomfortable silence and then Harry said "I'm going to head up to my dorm, I have some letters I need to write and head towards the Owlery before classes start." With that said Harry headed up the steps that lead towards the Gryffindor dormitories and branched off to the left that lead to his dorm which he shared with four other seventh year boys.

Parvati watched him sadly as he disappeared up the steps. She really missed him and she couldn't deny that the break up was almost entirely her fault. She felt Lavendar's eyes on her and turned back to her friend. "I want him back Lav, but I don't think that will happen." She felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes and started to cry.

Lavendar did not know what to say, she knew her friend was hurting. So instead she gathered Parvati into a hug and just let her cry. Doing so, her's and Parvati's hands fell away from what they had covered up from Harry to prevent him from seeing it.

When Harry entered into his room he threw himself on his bed, and pulled the handsome scarlet curtains around him. He didn't have any letters to write but he had some things he needed to sort out. What he really wanted was some outside advice an onlooker from not inside Hogwarts, he needed Sirius, but he didn't have Sirius, but he did however have Professor Lupin.

The summer before Harry's sixth year, when Harry was allowed to go back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place Professor Lupin had pulled him aside and showed him a mirror he had found. He told him he knew what it was and that he also knew Harry had the other one and he had said,___"I know I am not your godfather Harry and I know I am not your dad and I don't want to take either of their places, but if you ever need to talk just know that I am here for you. James and Sirius were the best friends I ever had and I feel it is responsibility and also my pleasure to be here for you if you would like me to be."_

Harry was still hurting from Sirius' death and he didn't want anyone else but he agreed and told Lupin that he would keep that in mind.

With that memory he got off his bed, went to his trunk pulled out the mirror and whispered "Remus Lupin"

A flash of brilliant gold light came and went fast and where Harry's face was just seconds ago it had now been replaced by Number 12 Grimmauld Place's kitchen and Professor Lupin's face.

Lupin smiled and asked "Hey Harry, how was your first week of term?"

Harry took in Lupin's face and saw young eyes looking out at him through a weary, older face. He felt a pang for his former DADA teacher and now as always his friend and his new confidant. "My week was okay, Professor McGonagall is giving us a quiz today already can you believe it?" But Hermione suspects it's because it's our N.E.W.T. year at school."

Lupin was quiet a minute and he studied Harry through the mirror. "Something tells me that's not why you contacted me is it?" It was more of a statement instead of a question.

Harry shook his head.

"Is it about your scar? Or about a certain red haired somebody that we both know?"

Harry stared at Lupin in surprise, "H-how did you know it is about that er...certain someone?"

Lupin said "I know you care for her; it shows all over your face when you see her. I don't think you know that though do you?"

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___"So, why did Harry walk away so mad at you?" Ginny asked.   
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When Hermione and Ron didn't respond she said again, "Why did Harry walk away so mad?" Ginny knew it was none of her business. She wasn't Harry's keeper and he, Ron and Hermione did not have to answer to her, but that still didn't stop her from being curious. When it came to Harry she was always curious. "What happened? What did you say to him?" she demanded again.

"We didn't say anything to him, its more of what he saw that made him mad." said Hermione.

"And no, we will not tell you that, its Harry's business to tell or not to tell or to who he might tell." said Ron.

Ginny was about to open her mouth to rebuke Ron when they heard a loud **___"CLANG!"_ **signaling to everyone that afternoon classes were about to begin.

Ginny, Ron and Hermione gathered up their things, stood up and said good-bye to each other. Then Ginny started off to the Greenhouses for Herbology and Hermione and Ron to the castle for Transfiguration.

"Do you feel ready for the quiz?" Hermione asked Ron. She, Ron and Harry had skipped lunch to do a last minute study session.

"I think so Hermione, can you believe that McGonagall already has a quiz ready for us in our first week of term?" asked Ron.

"Yes Ron I can, this is our seventh and final year at Hogwarts she's preparing us for our N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the year." They walked on a little more, "Look! There's Harry! Maybe he's not mad at us anymore." she said hopefully. "Harry! Hey Harry! Wait up!" she called and she and Ron started to walk a little faster to catch up with him.

Harry stopped and waited for his friends and then together they headed towards Professor McGonagall's classroom.

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Faraway a cold, high-pitched voice beckoned to one of his Death Eaters to come to him. He then said one word to him, "NOW!" and the Death Eater bowed low to him and Disapparated.

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___Harry stopped and waited for his friends and then together they headed towards Professor McGonagall's classroom.  
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"Are you still mad Harry?" asked Ron anxiously.

"No," said Harry, and he caught the looks of relief on his friends faces. He rolled his eyes and said, "I was never mad at you two I was just frustrated."

They continued on in silence, Hermione and Ron looked relieved but they were sad for Harry. He had, had the worst run of luck and they felt strongly for him. On more then one occasion Hermione and Ron voiced their wishes for Harry to finally be happy, have a bright spot in his life.

Parvati had filled that need for awhile; they had never seen him as happy as he was when they were together. When they broke up Harry retrieved into himself, he hardly talked to them and he barely ate enough to keep him going. The only person who had ever brightened him up, the only person that was able to get him to talk was Ginny. Ron and Hermione had hoped for Harry's sake that Ginny would fill the void Parvati had left so deeply in him, but they had yet to see it. Ron and Hermione doubted that neither Harry nor Ginny seemed aware of her influence on him.

They were the last one's to reach Professor McGonagall's classroom when no sooner had they sat down in their customary seats in the back that Professor McGonagall began speaking.

"You are now in your seventh and final year at Hogwarts; it is perhaps your most important year. After this school year ends you will be set out free in the wizarding world to work and make a living. We do not have colleges for you who are muggleborns, but we have Academies and training groups for whatever your profession will be. Whether it's as high as an Auror on down," she paused a moment before she began again.

"For you young women who want nothing more then getting married and raising a family it is not required for you to go to higher education but it is strongly advised." She paused again as there was a string of giggles all around the room. "However that does not mean that you may just skive off of your N.E.W.T.'s you must complete them and pass a certain amount of letters in order to leave." With that said she passed around bits of parchment to her students face down.

After they were all passed out McGonagall said a few more words. "This quiz enables me as a teacher to see where you are having the most struggles with Transfiguration, and I will be able to either make it a whole class session or one on one." Off to Harry's left, Neville Longbottom was trembling in fear. Aside from potions, Transfiguration was his worst subject.

"You may begin." She said, when she finished all that was to be heard in that classroom were the rustle of parchment and the scratching of quills as students took their quiz.

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___Ginny started off to the Greenhouses for Herbology.  
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"Alright class gather round the long tables and continue with your Mimbulous Mimbeltonia's pruning and sheering, make sure you put on your Dragon hide gloves and goggles for extra protection," shouted Professor Sprout too her sixth years. Ginny took her place by a plant and started pruning, she was not at all happy when Landon sidled up next to her.

"Ginny can we talk? I feel like I owe you an explanation about why I walked away from you earlier when you sat down next to your brother and Hermione." Landon said.

"I know why you left," she said a little harsher then she intended. She moved away from Landon to stand between Alyssa Spinnet and Persephone Wright. As she worked she let her mind wander back to her past six years.

**___xxxFLASH she was ten years old and she and her mother accompanied her brothers to Kings Cross station, where they would be taking the Hogwarts Express to school. As Percy, Fred and George started to go through the barrier a nice looking black haired boy with green eyes and glasses ran up to them asking how to get onto the platform her mother explained it to him and sent him before Ron. She wished him luck as he disappeared through platforms nine and ten. After Ron went she and her mother came through to see them off, that's when she found out who the black haired boy was._**

**___xxxFLASH to her first year Harry's second. Harry and Ron were twelve and Ginny was eleven going to Hogwarts this year. Harry had been smuggled to the Burrow by her brother's, she had, had a crush on him then and was really embarrassed when he showed up at her house. Later that year Harry broke her heart for the first time, she had sent him a singing Valentine, Harry ran away from it after Draco Malfoy teased him about it. Earlier in her first year she found a diary amongst her other books and poured her heart into it on how much she wished he would notice her, he finally did, when Tom Riddle had taken her into the Chamber. Ginny was no fool she knew why Harry came after her, it was because she was Ron's sister not because he cared for her. She was happy then to see him but knew better so her heart broke again._**

**___xxxFLASH to her third year, Harry's fourth. The Yule Ball, she had hoped and hoped Harry would ask her but he never did. Instead he asked Cho Chang and she turned him down, by the time he asked Cho she Ginny was already going with Neville, Ron had mentioned that Harry ought to ask her. Then he asked Parvati. They went together and once again her heart crashed when she saw them together, they looked like they fit as one person, which proved true in his sixth year._**

"Miss Weasley? Class is over with," said the faraway voice of Professor Sprout.

Ginny shook herself out of her reverie and saw that she was the last one to leave the Greenhouse, she quickly gathered her things and mumbled an apology to Professor Sprout and raced out of there at top speed not wanting to cause Gryffindor points. She was sad from her memories so when she crashed into somebody she nearly burst into tears. When she saw who it was she did.

She had let out a yelp of surprise and almost fell flat down if the person she bumped into didn't catch her. She looked up to apologize and saw it was Harry. She burst into tears and tried pulling away from him.

"GINNY?!" asked Harry completely startled by her sudden tears, "Are you okay?"

Ginny brushed her tears out of her eyes and broke contact with Harry, and ran as fast as she could to get inside the castle and away from Harry, she didn't say one word to him.

Harry saw Landon going around the corner and his eyes narrowed.

"Wh-what was that all about? Asked a visibly shaken Hermione.

Ron and Harry shook their heads as if saying they didn't know, but Harry decided he was going to have a little one on one chat with a certain Gryffindor beater later.


	2. Chapter 2: Slytherin and Quidditch

_**CHAPTER TWO: SLYTHERIN AND QUIDDITCH TROUBLES**_

Ginny was so distraught over crying and worse crying in front of Harry of all people that instead of going to the library or study hall during her free hour she went up to the Gryffindor Tower room and up to her dorm room. She drew the shimmering gold curtains around her and threw herself on her bed. Her tears had dried up but she knew they'd come again, once again her mind wandered to her past years. Why she let herself wander she didn't know she only felt she had to.

_xxxFLASH to her fourth year, Harry's fifth. Hermione suggested the DA and it was well known that Harry would lead it. Ginny jumped on the chance to join so she would be able to be where Harry was. She may have been dating Michael Corner but her schoolgirl crush on Harry was still felt strongly through her very soul._

_She was with him when he and Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna went to the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries to search for Sirius. Only after she and Luna helped create a diversion for Harry to check at Grimmauld Place. All she ever got out of it was a half-hearted or distracted "Thank you," she was always waiting for him to notice her only to be overlooked and heart-broken. She felt it with Cho and Luna, and also for eight heart wrenching months as he was dating Parvati._

_xxxFLASH to her fifth year his sixth, Parvati and Harry dated and after they broke up she was there for him as a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, she knew that Harry only chose her because Ron and Hermione were to bust trying to sort out their relationship. Ginny all the while still held out hope._

Tears trickled further down her cheeks; she didn't understand why she continuously allowed Harry back into to her heart, knowing full well he'd always crush it. But as much as she didn't understand it, she also knew she'd never be able to stop it.

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_Ginny brushed her tears out of her eyes and broke contact with Harry, and ran as fast as she could to get inside the castle and away from Harry, she didn't say one word to him.  
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Parvati watched from the Greenhouse the exchange or lack there of between Harry and Ginny. Apparently she had _"bumped"_ into Harry on accident causing Harry to have to steady her.

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she began to think through the plan she and Lavendar had come up with to try to salvage even a small bit of Harry's and her's relationship, it was going to take a lot of work and a lot of time but she was willing to try.  
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_Her's and Parvati's hands fell away from what they had covered up from Harry to prevent him from seeing it.  
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When Harry had walked into the common room earlier that day and tried to see what Parvati and Lavendar were working on they had covered it up. It turned out that it WAS Divination homework it was a chart that Trelawney had told them that with certain dreams the signs of those dreams would lead to their future and what would make them the happiest. All of Parvati's "signs" led to a dark haired man with green eyes.

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When Harry walked in he was flanked as always by Ron and Hermione. She and Parvati met each others eyes and the first phase was put into action.

Lavendar walked right up to the trio and said "Hey! Hermione, I need your help! I can't seem to calm down my Dragon Snapper! And the incantation is not working!" She then proceeded to grab Hermione's arm and drag her to a particularly vicious looking Dragon Snapper, its buds were shooting sparks out, and its leaves were thrashing, their long, sharp needle thorns at anyone who came near it.

Ron looked between where Hermione was being dragged to and Harry by his side. Harry nodded for him to go to Hermione and Ron went. Harry looked around and saw that only Parvati was left to partner up with. He sighed and headed towards her.

"Can I join you?" asked Harry.

"Sure," said Parvati indifferently.

Harry took his place next to her and said, "I guess we both lost our partners."

"I guess," she said very calm although her insides were leaping for joy. They set to work on their Dragon Snapper.

That night during dinner tensions were felt all around the Gryffindors. Ginny was still mortified at how she reacted to Harry earlier that she would not speak or even look at Harry, Ron and Hermione. She usually sat with them during dinner but tonight she placed herself between Persephone and Colin Creevey.

Parvati was upset because things didn't go the way she had hoped they would in Herbology. Harry and she did their work hardly speaking to each other and then at the end of the lesson he packed up his things and met Ron and Hermione at the door to head back to the castle.

Harry was upset to because he still thought that it was Landon who upset Ginny, he didn't like the way that it was bothering him so much. He couldn't help but think back at what all Remus Lupin had told him.

Finally when he couldn't take anymore tenseness he got up from the table, signaling his fellow Gryffindor Quidditch team that they needed to head down to the Quidditch pitch for practice. Harry booked the Pitch well in advance because he knew how the Slytherin's operated, they listened to when the Gryffindors were going to practice and then beat him to booking the pitch. They did it to him all last year and he would not let them do it this year.

There were some new maneuvers that Harry had plotted over the summer mostly so he could keep ahead of the Slytherin team. They came very close last year to losing the House Cup which had been in their possession since Harry's third year. So he had studied the Slytherin's best moves and made maneuvers to fake them out, or go around them. He sincerely hoped that Draco and his gang weren't going to show up to watch and sneer at the Gryffindors.

Ron got up straight away before anyone else, after quickly giving Hermione a sweet kiss on the cheek to which she turned beet red, (he loved that he had that affect on her) and then he hurried off after Harry, so they would be well ahead of the rest of the team.

When he was sure they were out of hearing of the rest of the team, Ron approached the topic of Parvati. "Harry, I think you ought to look after yourself mate, I think Parvati and probably Lavendar as well are trying to get you two back together." said Ron.

Harry was surprised by this, "Come off it Ron, she was the reason why we broke up in the first place by accusing me of something I never did nor intended to do!" said Harry quizzically.

"I know but still, you're my best mate and well...you know." said Ron the tips of his ears started to turn red.

Harry did know.

They just barely had changed into their Quidditch practice robes when the rest of the team showed up. Harry and Ron waited while the rest of the team dressed and together they headed out to the Pitch and instantly they were on their brooms soaring rapturously through the air.

Harry felt that familiar exhilarating feeling of the brisk England air on his face, and the smoothness of his Firebolt's handle, with just the slightest touch he was soaring higher and higher. He did a few laps around the field and then stopped to watch his team goofing around. Harry was unlike Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnson; he let his teammates goof off for a few minutes to just have fun. After all, to Harry's mind why have a broomstick if you can't have fun with it?

Ron and Ginny were chasing one another, Alyssa and Persephone were playing "Catch the Quaffle" where one would drop the Quaffle and chase after it and try to catch it before it hit the ground, and Landon and Terrance Lane were sword fighting with their beaters club.

All in all Harry was proud of his team.

Ron's Keeper abilities had greatly improved; Ginny, Alyssa, and Persephone were all small but strong and fast, which was important for chasers, and Landon and Terrance, were two of the burliest Gryffindors of their years, Landon was established before he was a sixth year and Terrance was a fifth year. Combined with their superb beater abilities and their size, they tended to intimidate opposing players, even Crabbe and Goyle who were still Slytherin beaters.

After a few more minutes of play Harry flew to the center of the field and shouted to his teammates, "Okay! Come on down, let's start practicing!" His teammates flew to the center where Harry was so he didn't have to shout anymore. "Okay then Ron, you head to the goals, Ginny; you Persephone and..." but whatever else Harry was going to say got cut off by a familiar snicker and a voice he had come to hate.

He looked down and saw Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and two of Pansy's friends on the field.

Angrily he touched down and demanded "What do you want? We're going to start practice and I'd prefer it if the likes of you weren't here." He heard a swishing of robes on the sides and behind him, he knew without looking around his teammates were there.

"Don't let us stop you Potter, we just came to see your pathetic excuse for a team make fools out of themselves." Said Draco Malfoy, Harry continued to glare at Malfoy.

"I mean what was the reasoning behind you keeping Weasley and Weasley? Did the POOR kids get on their hands and knees and beg you to keep them on?" Malfoy's gang laughed evilly at that. Then Pansy stepped forward.

"You mean your bookworm girlfriend let you get away from studying? If you can call Granger a girl, with all that bushy hair she looks like an overgrown dog." Pansy said and Malfoy and everyone laughed very hard at that.

Pansy shrieked and jumped back as Harry and Ron lunged at her. It took all the strength and more of Terrance and Landon to restrain Harry and Ron.

Crabbe and Goyle pushed Pansy and Draco behind them and were about to pummel them when there was a loud **"BANG!" **and Harry felt for sure he felt and heard a swish of invisible robes next to him as all the Slytherin's fell face forward onto the ground not moving.

Harry and the other players looked around to see who cursed them but saw no one and nobody had their wands out because all their wands were back in the locker room.

"What was that?" Persephone asked.

In his Headmaster's office Professor Dumbledore fell forward on onto the floor as a jolt shot through his office. All the previous Headmasters and Headmistress' portraits tilted on the wall, and some fell to the floor yelling in surprise.

"Not again," said Professor Dumbledore in a whispered voice. He picked himself up off the floor; he knew he'd be expecting visitors any moment now. With a casual flick of his wand the room righted itself again.

Fawkes the Phoenix sat quietly on his perch humming his beautiful phoenix song it instantly took all the worry out of Dumbledore. He went over and patted Fawkes' fiery gold feathers and said, "Thank you my friend, you always know just what to do to improve my mood," he said smiling.

No sooner had Fawkes crooned back to Dumbledore that his office door opened and in came Professor's Snape, McGonagall, and Helixa and the empty fireplace glowed emerald green and Remus Lupin came through.

In the Gryffindors Common room Hermione dropped her book on the ground as she jumped up. "Oh no!" she whispered fearfully. Quickly she ran out of the common room ignoring everyone who called out to her what was wrong. She didn't understand why no one else was scared at the jolt that shot through the center of the Common Room. She had to go to the Quidditch Pitch to see if her friends were okay.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_The Slytherin's fell face forward onto the ground not moving. "What was that?" Persephone asked.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

The Slytherins were still face down in the ground, they hadn't moved.

"Are they alright? I mean they're not..." but the rest of Alyssa's words were lost. Harry told Ginny, Persephone and Alyssa to stay put then he, Ron, Terrance and Landon went over to the Slytherins and watched to see if they were still breathing. They were.

"They're stunned!"

"Who used the stunning charm?"

"How did they use the stunning charm?"

The team was firing off their questions off to no one in particular. Hermione came running to the Pitch.

She gasped, "Ron! What happened?! Are they okay?" She exclaimed running over to him.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" asked Harry startled to see her there.

"I felt a jolt and I came running, the funny thing is, I seem to be the only person who felt it," she replied.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Professor Dumbledore's office door opened and in came Professor's Snape, McGonagall, and Helixa and the empty fireplace glowed emerald green and Remus Lupin came through.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

"Headmaster, what was that jolt? Why were we the only one's who felt it? Have his powers grown that much?" asked Professor Helixa.

"No Tianna, his powers haven't grown that much, I've been monitoring him extremely close. He must have had a particularly emotional day to have that happen," replied Professor Dumbledore.

"Forgive me Headmaster, does he even know?" asked Professor Snape.

"No, at least not to the extent of it, he will have to remain in the dark for a little longer or all will be lost," Professor Dumbledore said to Snape.

He turned to Remus Lupin who had thus far been quiet. "Remus you know what you need to keep doing, have you been able to get through to him yet? About...anything?" he asked.

Remus said, "I haven't been able to extract much from him other then what we already thought."

"Minerva, keep a close eye on him," continued Dumbledore.

"Professor Snape, are you ready to continue with your assignment?"

Professor Snape bowed his head in assent. "Good now I think we need to get back to work." And with that Professor Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and the Professor's left quietly and Remus went back to the fireplace, and disappeared in the swirling emerald flames.

Professor Dumbledore now alone again pulled out a bowl that sat next to the Pensieve. He whispered a word and the gold bowl alighted with golden flames and a face appeared. "Hang in there a little longer; soon your journey will be done."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What should we do Harry? Should we un-stun them or get a teacher?" asked Ron quietly as if afraid to speak aloud.

"Well that's obvious Ron, we need to get a teacher of course, what if something else stunned them?" replied Ginny, rolling her eyes.

"I'll go, anyone want to come with?" volunteered Landon looking hopefully at Ginny.

This bristled Harry's temper which had calmed down since Malfoy first started digging at Ginny and Ron.

"Persephone, you go with Landon, and you two bring back both Professor Snape and McGonagall, and if you can find Dumbledore bring him back to." Said Harry in a calm voice although he was seething inside at Landon, Harry chose to ignore Landon's look of disappointment and he did not see Ginny's relief.

Persephone and Landon headed back to the castle to find the Professor's and Harry, Ron, Terrance and Hermione headed back to where Ginny and Alyssa still waited.

"Everyone sit down right where you are, if there is something other then a stunning charm that affected the Slytherin's like Dark magic then the Professor's and Dumbledore will find it, and I personally don't want to be the one that ruins whatever slim possibility there might be." Harry said and sat down.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny knowing that _usually _but _not _always Harry's hunches were correct sat down immediately without argument, and Alyssa and Terrance respecting their team captain as they did sat down also without argument.

"What do we do now Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing," Harry said "except wait."

Everyone on the field was quiet, none of them knowing what to do or say so they were waiting anxiously each person lost in his or her own thoughts.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione; they were sitting side by side holding hands as if each was giving the other their own source of strength and comfort. Harry envied that, he longed to feel that comfort, that strength again that only your significant other can give.

His gaze landed on Ginny, and he wondered how it would feel to hold her hand and they would be able to give strength to each other. The moon was almost full and a moonbeam nestled itself around her head like a halo. She looked like a beautiful red haired angle in Quidditch robes. He lost himself while he looked at her, for a brief moment the shutters around his eyes opened up. Just then Ginny looked at Harry.

She felt a surge of excitement course through her body and go straight into her soul when she saw Harry looking at her, and the unmasked emotion that she had never seen before. When she looked into his eyes that blazed a great Jade green color, and she saw his soul in them and his unmistakable power. It frightened and thrilled her she wanted to learn how to tame it and wanted to learn how to let it loose. Instantly she knew why she always let Harry back in her heart, her schoolgirl crush on her brother's best mate had turned into love. When exactly it happened she didn't know.

In the instant that their eyes met, Harry was taken aback and couldn't hide his emotions before Ginny was able to see them. The shutters once again closed around his eyes keeping his emotions in check.

Ginny smiled, she saw the dramatic change between his bearing his soul through his eyes to the fast cover again, and she sat back. She let her imagination run wild with happiness, maybe she thought; just maybe the black haired boy with the beautiful green eyes had finally noticed her.

The Gryffindors didn't have to wait more then twenty minutes or so then Persephone and Landon showed up closely followed by Snape, McGonagall, and thankfully Dumbledore.

"POTTER!!! What have you done to my students?!" Snape exploded furiously when he saw the Slytherin's face down on the ground, still not moving. His sour milk complexion was now showing red dots of fury all over his face. "Ten points from Gryffindors for _EACH_ Slytherin face down!"

Instantly and uproar came from the Gryffindors everywhere people were saying, "That's not fair!" "Harry didn't do anything!" "The Slytherins just fell forward!"

"SI-ILENCE!!!!!!!!" shouted Dumbledore and immediately all sound ceased to exist. Dumbledore walked quickly and calmly to Professor Snape, but his eyes were flashing a dangerous warning, no more were those eyes twinkling with a quiet delight but cold and hard.

Dumbledore's voice was deathly calm and quiet when he spoke. Professor Snape actually looked afraid. Harry had never seen Snape afraid.

"Severus, you will not take points from Gryffindor! I am shocked that you would think Harry had anything to do with this. As you can clearly see Harry and the others are in their Quidditch practice robes, and I see not one single wand anywhere. So unless you are suggesting that Harry can do things with his mind, then _I_ suggest that you recant your accusation."

"B-but Headmaster you know..." Snape started sputtering the words out.

"I said SILENCE!" Dumbledore said again, this time with a hint of warning in his voice. He turned toward the Gryffindors and said, "Now who would care to explain this?" He said as he swept his hand over towards the Slytherin's. When no one volunteered Professor Dumbledore chose for them. "Miss Weasley, would you kindly inform the Professor's and myself about what happened?" Ginny's face turned beet red, she was sure Professor Dumbledore would've chose Harry as the storyteller. "We're waiting Miss Weasley," said Dumbledore kindly, his expression was now back to normal.

Ginny took a deep breath, fastened her soft brown eyes on his light blue eyes and began.


	3. Chapter 3: Confusing Words

_**A/N: Okay, I'm slowly figuring out how this system works, now if you haven't already figured out how this is getting written here, this story is multiple PoV's, mostly it's Harry's but you'll also see Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Parvati Patil, the Order Members and a few other small ones. Whenever I switch PoV's or to something that's happening at the same time I make small italic x's both above and under a repeat quote. If you see a big X then it's still happening at the same time but I don't necessarily need to use a quote to bring you back to that person's turn. I know it sounds confusing but it's really not. Nitingale **_

_**CHAPTER THREE: CONFUSING WORDS, GINNY'S CONFESSION**_

She told them how Harry had booked the Pitch for the team to practice, she then told them that just as they were going to start practicing Malfoy and his gang showed up, she told them about Malfoy's digs at her's and Ron's family and at Harry and at Hermione, (Hermione looked at Ginny startled at that, but didn't say a word). Ginny then told them how Crabbe and Goyle were about to beat on Harry and Ron when all of the sudden there was a loud bang and the Slytherin's fell forward. Ginny drew another breath and finished with how Harry had told Persephone and Landon to find them and he then told Hermione, her, Ron, Terrance and Alyssa to sit down right where they were and wait, in case there was dark magic.

"Thank you Miss Weasley, now does everyone agree that her account is true? And she left nothing out?" They all nodded except for Harry.

"Professor..." he said.

Everyone looked at Harry startled, Harry didn't care, he had long since given up trying to hide anything from Professor Dumbledore he knew that in the end he would tell Dumbledore anything or Dumbledore already knew it.

"Professor, there is one thing, Ginny didn't leave it out she didn't know it happened." Harry started again. By now Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were wandering around the perimeter of the field to check one can only assume for a trail of some sort.

"Yes Harry?" said Dumbledore.

"Sir, after the loud sound and the Slytherins falling, I thought I felt and heard..." He trailed off knowing that this would sound crazy.

"Harry?" Dumbledore brought him back again; he looked into Dumbledore's eyes and saw that Professor Dumbledore really wanted to hear.

"I thought I felt and heard a swishing sound right next to me, as if someone had robes on and was flying." He finished in a rush.

"Do you have anything to back that up Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry looked down at the ground and shook his head. "No sir, I just felt it, I know it sounds crazy but I thought you should know."

Dumbledore said, "Harry, Harry look at me," Harry looked up at him avoiding everyone else's eyes. "I believe you Harry." Dumbledore finished.   
He looked up as Professor's Snape and McGonagall came back. "Anything?" he asked, silently they shook their heads. Dumbledore sighed, "I didn't think so."

He walked over to where the Slytherins were still unmoving; he was followed closely by McGonagall and Snape. He surveyed them, turned them over so they were lying face up and he examined their eyes, their pulses, and what Harry thought was strange, he studied their bodies, the way they were laying rigidly. Apparently satisfied with what he found he said, "Thank goodness they ARE only stunned by the stunning charm."

Then he, Snape and McGonagall all took out their wands and pointing to them all they shouted at one time, "_Ennervate!"_ The Slytherins woke up and got unsteadily to their feet.

"Severus, take your students to Madame Pomphrey, so she can give them a potion for tonight, I want you to make sure they all drink ALL of it, then escort them back to their dorms." said Dumbledore swiftly.

"Yes Headmaster," Said Snape and then he turned to the Slytherins and said "Come," they came, and with that Snape and the students were walking to the castle.

Dumbledore then turned to Professor McGonagall and the Gryffindors. "Quidditch Practice is cancelled." He said, there was a collective groan; they hadn't even had a chance to practice. Those blasted Slytherins had to show up and spoil it.

"Minerva, will you kindly take the team to change back into their robes and then escort Mr. Vance, Miss Spinnet, Miss Wright and Mr. Lane back to the dormitory and send Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley and Mr. Weasley back out to me? Miss Granger and I will be waiting."

"Yes sir, Come on you lot, you heard what Professor Dumbledore said. Miss Granger, will you kindly stay with Professor Dumbledore." The Gryffindors team followed Professor McGonagall to the locker rooms to change.

When they were done changing Professor McGonagall sent Harry, Ginny, and Ron back to Professor Dumbledore and Hermione, and after she was sure they were safe with him she escorted Landon, Terrance, Alyssa and Persephone to the Gryffindors Common Room.

When Harry, Ron, and Ginny rejoined Professor Dumbledore and Hermione he motioned for them to sit down on some chairs that he conjured up. They sat down and waited expectantly.

Professor Dumbledore swept them all with his gaze and they could see that whatever he was going to say was important. "That was a very smart and good thing you did Harry sending Landon and Persephone to find Professor's Snape and McGonagall and myself." He stopped a moment before he continued, "When you sent Persephone and Landon to find us Persephone found Minerva first and she immediately summoned me from my office."

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked back at Dumbledore surprised that he used Professor McGonagall's first name. He smiled his twinkle came back briefly. "Seeing as how we are all connected in one way or the other I figured I could use her first name at this impromptu meeting." he said.

"Now Harry, about what you felt, are you positive you weren't just feeling a bit of wind?" He asked Harry.

Harry thought about it for a split second then nodded his head. "Yes Professor I am positive it wasn't the wind." he said. "I know that flying with an Invisibility Cloak on is hard so I remember to when the Advanced Guard came to get me two years ago and Moody used the _"Disillusion"_ charm on me, to make me blend in with my surroundings, I thought maybe that's what whoever it was used."

"It may very well have been Harry, but there are some more ways then just that. But I won't go into those ways because they are rarely used." Said Dumbledore.

He then turned to Hermione, "Hermione, were you watching the Quidditch practice?" He asked although he seemed to have already known the answer.

Hermione shook her head no.

"Then how did you happen to show up tonight?" he continued prompting her.

Hermione swallowed, now it was her turn to feel like she was crazy. "Um...I...er...I felt a jolt all the way up in the Common Room, but the funny thing is no one else seemed to notice it, while I was running out of the room and down the steps people kept asking me what was wrong, but thankfully no one followed me." She stopped for a moment, and then continued. "I was worried about Harry, Ron and Ginny, I wanted to make sure they were alright I was afraid something happened to them."

Professor Dumbledore nodded in thought.

"Er...Professor? Hermione interjected quietly, "Why **did** I feel the jolt when none of the other students had?"

Professor Dumbledore then looked straight at Hermione and said without blinking an eye. "It's your connection to Ron and Harry, I have never in all my days neither felt nor seen that strong of a connection between friends. Not even James, Sirius and Lily and Remus had that strong of one, and they were close friends as close as ever before you four."

Ginny stared down at her feet, as Dumbledore's words echoed in her mind. _"Professor Dumbledore can't possibly mean me, I'm not important at all to them, I'm just Ron's baby sister always underfoot and getting in their way I don't mean anymore to them then that"_

"Ah, but Miss Weasley, you are wrong. You are so important to the well being of these three, that they wouldn't possibly be as strong without you." Said Dumbledore as if reading her thoughts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked startled at Dumbledore's words. Ginny shook her head "H-how did you know I was thinking that?" she stammered.

Instead of Dumbledore responding to that question he addressed them as a whole again. "Harry; you, Ron, Hermione and Ginny have to watch out for each other." Said Dumbledore, he held up a hand before they said anything to that. "I know you always have before," he continued, "but now it is most crucial that you do."

He looked at Ron and said, "Ron, I know you don't want to be your sister's keeper nor does she want that either, but you must."

"You all must watch out for each other, keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

If Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny weren't confused before, they certainly were now, Dumbledore's words made no sense but they listened to what he said.

Dumbledore then looked from one face or the other and said, "It is time to go back to the Tower and I will take you as far as I can, but you must give me your word that you will go straight to the Tower no detours." He said, they all mumbled "promise" and Dumbledore got up, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny got up to and with a flick the chairs were gone.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny got back to the common room it was close to deserted except a few first years. It appeared that the older students were still wondering around the castle with friends, or some may have been in the library.

Harry excused himself from his friends saying he had a headache and was going up to bed. Ron made to follow Harry up but Hermione put a hand on his arm and shook her head. Her expression clearly said _"He needs to be alone right now"_ so Ron stopped following Harry. "He'll talk to you when he's ready Ron, until then all you can do is wait." She said looking sadly after him. She was so worried about Harry and she could tell Ginny and Ron were to.

Ginny to followed Harry's retreating back up the stairs. She looked at Hermione and said "Can I talk to you...alone?" Ron's head whipped around to face Ginny and he was about to say "NO" when Hermione whose hand was still on his arm gave it a squeeze, and shook her head again.

"Sure Ginny, where would you like to go?" Hermione said. She pecked Ron on his cheek and left the Common Room with Ginny. They had headed towards the "Room of Requirement" where they knew they would be alone. When Ginny and Hermione went through the door it no longer looked like the class room where the DA meetings took place. It was now small and comfy. There were two overstuffed chairs facing each other, and between the chairs there was a tea table with a pitcher of some cold liquid and some small tea cakes. They each took a glass of the cold liquid (it was lemonade) and one tea cake each and then they sat down in the chairs facing each other. _"Just what I needed"_ thought Ginny, _"A nice, comfortable, quiet room where I can speak freely to my friend."_

"What's wrong Ginny?" asked Hermione as they settled down into the comfy chairs.

Now that Ginny had finally had an opportunity to talk to someone she didn't' know how to start, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Ginny? You can talk to me about anything you know that right?" Hermione gently prodded. She had always considered Ginny like a little sister to her, since she was an only child.

"Hermione! What am I going to do?! I L-l-love H-harry but he doesn't ever think twice about me, except as Ron's baby sister!" Ginny wailed as those words that she had been harboring for so long finally burst out of her.

"I know Harry'll never love me the way I love him but I keep putting my heart out there for him only to have him crush it again!" Now that Ginny started she couldn't stop. "He's already broken my heart more times than I care to admit but I still c-can't stop myself from doing it again!" With her confession what little control Ginny had left all fell down and she just cried and cried.

All the while Ginny was talking Hermione stayed quiet and let Ginny cry it all out. When Ginny looked at her Hermione didn't look surprised at all, as a matter of fact it looked as though she had been expecting this to happen for some time now.

Hermione calmly set down her glass of lemonade, moved the tea table away, and went and knelt in front of Ginny taking the younger girls cold, clammy hands in her warm ones. She looked at Ginny's tear-streaked face sympathetically and quietly spoke to her.

Ginny turned her head away from Hermione and looked anywhere but at her.

Softly Hermione spoke Ginny's name "Ginny, Ginny look at me," said Hermione and when Ginny didn't Hermione did what her mother often did to her when Hermione wouldn't look at her mother. She gently took one of her hands out of Ginny's and took a hold of the girls' chin and gently turned her head to face her.

"Ginny, you never have to hide your feelings from me, believe me I know what its like to care for someone who doesn't return it."

Hermione wiped a few tears from Ginny's face and said, "I think it's time to tell you my story about Ron."

Ginny looked at the girl who she considered a sister, she had no really good friends at Hogwarts except Harry and Hermione, and Ron was her brother. She knew she had friends, she was actually quite popular but she never felt like she could get close to any of them. No one except Hermione now knew her true feelings for Harry, even though she just barely realized it herself at least on a conscious level, but deep within her heart she thought she always knew.

"What I'm about to tell you precious few know, Harry being one of them since he had a hand in it. I'll start from the beginning." And Hermione drew in a deep breath and sat back down in her chair opposite Ginny.

"Ginny, I have always, from almost the very first instant I met him, fancied him." She began.

Ginny looked at her and said "I know that Hermione, I've known for awhile now.

Hermione sighed and continued, "Everyone knew, except Ron of course. He was so thick headed that he didn't realize the fights I would pick with him was because I wanted him to notice me." She stopped and gathered her thoughts and continued.

"But what no one not even Harry, Parvati and Lavendar (who as you know are my roommates) knew that pretty much on a daily basis from my third year on, I would cry at least once maybe twice a day over Ron...It would either be in my dorm when Parvati and Lavendar weren't there or in one of the darkest corners of the library."

"I knew that Ron would never look at me as anything other then a 'Know-it-All' like he was so fond of calling me, so I cried. I tried so hard to get over Ron but I never could."

Ginny was dumbstruck, Hermione, the all together girl cried?! Over none other then her brother Ron?

Hermione continued, "Ron didn't start paying attention to me until he knew that other guys liked me and he then realized that my life did not revolve around he and Harry on a 24 hour basis which he always thought it did. That in itself hurt me more then him not noticing me at all."

"Why?" asked Ginny enraptured with the older girls story.

"Because it made me feel like the only reason he liked me was because of another guy and not on his own." said Hermione. "That's why I was so angry at Ron in our fourth year. When our fifth year came around it seemed he was finally coming around to liking me for me and not because another guy liked me."

"I remember that, he did seem a little more...um...attentive to you." Said Ginny

Hermione smiled and continued her story. "So when last year, our sixth year happened something-I'm not sure what-clicked in Ron's brain and that's why he was so awkward around me last year. Finally Harry was able to break through my reserve one night when Ron had gone up to bed with a headache and left Harry and I alone in the common room, since Parvati also had gone up to bed, and he was so sweet that he finally got through to me that I can tell him about whatever was going on with me and Ron and he would never say a word. To this day he hasn't yet."

At the sound of Parvati's name Ginny's eyes welled up once again in tears but she didn't cry.

Hermione didn't notice Ginny's tears which were all the better in Ginny's mind.

She continued, "That night Harry and I stayed up really late to just talk and figure out what to do. He told me that he had known for awhile that I like Ron, but he knew it wasn't his place to tell Ron, it was mine. Between the two of us we came up with a plan, which if it did not backfire it would get Ron to tell me how he feels without him even realizing he had walked right into a trap. Due to the nature of this plan Harry told Parvati so she wouldn't get mad or suspicious, at the time she thought it was brilliant, so Harry and I went ahead with our plan, and the rest is history in the making."

After Hermione stopped speaking Ginny sat quietly for a minute and then slowly she asked, "But Hermione, how is this story going to help me with Harry?"

Hermione looked straight at Ginny and said, "Think Ginny, think hard, what happened last year?"

Ginny thought back to last year hard and then remembrance suddenly dawned on her, and her eyes widened in the realization of Hermione's words. "You mean...OH!!...That's why!" she said and stopped.

Hermione nodded her head in assent.

"So then its Harry's not Parvati's fault..." Ginny broke off when Hermione viciously shook her head and narrowed her eyes; anger for the first time entered her eyes.

"No, it was Parvati's fault, never forget that Ginny." She said and looked at her watch. "We'd better hurry back before curfew Ginny."

She and Ginny got up from their chairs and headed out the door to go back to the common room. As soon as they were out the door magically disappeared, waiting patiently for the next time it would need to be used.

"Hermione?" Ginny started carefully, "What exactly happened that day last year between Harry and Parvati?"

Hermione smiled as she put an arm around Ginny's shoulder. "Now that my dear Ginny is for Harry or Parvati to tell, not me." Her face sobered and she said, "No matter if they ever tell you Ginny, Harry never blamed me for their break-up, which a lot of people at the time did. Ron still has yet to know about this, and I'd appreciate your silence."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something but Hermione beat her too it, "Don't worry Ginny, I will eventually tell Ron, but the key word there is _I _will tell him."

"One more thing Ginny, what Harry and I did was right for our situation, there were no feelings or hearts on the line, except mine if it hadn't worked out. I made that perfectly known to Harry when we talked about it. I wanted to make sure that Harry wouldn't get hurt, and I knew Ron wouldn't." She said.

She then continued, "I would NOT recommend it for your situation, and I know you know what and _who_ I am talking about.

And Ginny did know. She looked up into Hermione's face. "Will you help me then Hermione? To figure out what my best situation is?" Ginny pleaded.

Hermione smiled and said "Of course I will."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Harry excused himself from his friends saying he had a headache and was going up to bed. Ron made to follow Harry up but Hermione put a hand on his arm and shook her head. Her expression clearly said "He needs to be alone right now" so Ron stopped following Harry. "He'll talk to you when he's ready Ron, until then all you can do is wait."  
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Harry once again found himself alone in the dorms, he was glad Hermione had restrained Ron; he needed to sort some things out. Dean, Neville, and Seamus must've been in the castle somewhere. He didn't even have Hedwig for company because when he was at school she preferred to stay in the Owlery, not that Harry blamed her of course.

Harry thought back to what Dumbledore had said about Ginny being important to Harry, Ron and Hermione. He then thought back to the rest of what Remus (He had asked Harry to call him that now.) had said about Ginny to.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Sure Ginny, where would you like to go?" Hermione said. She pecked Ron on his cheek and left the Common Room with Ginny.   
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

With Harry in the dorms and Hermione and Ginny gone to talk, Ron had no one to talk to, but he took Hermione's advice and stayed in the Common Room. He pulled out his Chocolate Frog cards and started sorting through them. Then when that was done he bewitched his chess board so he could play chess.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_I know I care for her, I just don't know to what degree, she's Ron's little sister first off and I don't believe she likes me anymore. I think she likes someone else. Harry confessed this part very sadly. _

_Remus had nodded sympathetically but didn't say anything. _

_"Professor Lupin?" asked Harry hesitantly. _

_"Remus, Harry, Call me Remus I'm not your Professor anymore just your friend." said Remus._

_"Right," said Harry. "Er...Remus, are you upset that I'm asking you about this which has nothing to do with the Order?"_

_Remus firmly shook his head, "On the contrary Harry, I'm enjoying this detour from the Order; anyways I'm the one who brought it up right?" He said firmly but with humor in his voice._

_"Well what should I do then? I'm not sure how Ginny or Ron would react to this if I mentioned it to either of them," continued Harry. "What if Ginny laughs at me? Or worse what if she just walks away?" After a pause he continued, "Or what if my interest in his little sister would make Ron angry and he wasn't speaking to me? I've already gone through that once and it was awful, I was miserable."_

_Remus laughed, "First off Harry, Ron will not stop being your best mate if you like his sister, he would probably be thrilled." he said, "As for Ginny...well...I personally don't think she has given up on you yet."_

_"Really?" said Harry hopefully._

_"Really Harry, but I would approach this with caution though, and if it'll make you feel any better talk to Ron first without Hermione and especially Ginny there," said Remus._

_Harry had heard the doorbell ring and Mrs. Black's voice screeched out her usual things, they had still not succeeded in getting her from off the wall, however the rest of the house was very livable now. No longer was it not dull, dingy, and scary anymore. Kreacher had died last year and his and all the rest of the house-elves heads, and Kreacher's body were no longer there anywhere. They had been burned (much to Hermione's dismay, she was still fighting for house-elf rights though not as much as she used too). And the ugly Troll umbrella stand thing was gone to._

_Remus had sighed, "I have to go now Harry, I'm the only one here right now, remember what I said talk to Ron first." With that Remus had disappeared._

Harry sighed as the memory of Remus' advice faded from his mind. He was exhausted and his day was incredibly long, now he was going to have to make it longer still because he knew he had to approach Ron about this now or he'd lose courage.

Slowly Harry dragged himself off his bed and down the stairs, hoping that he would find Ron alone without Hermione and/or Ginny, especially Ginny.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Harry got downstairs he was pleased to see that Ron was alone, when he got closer he saw that Ron had fallen asleep. He shook him and called his name.

Ron must've fallen asleep because the next thing he knew he was being shaken awake and someone was calling his name.

"Ron! Ron wake up I need to talk to you!" said a faraway voice.

"Zat you 'Arry?" asked Ron sleepily as he stretched.

"Yes, Ron it's me, I need to talk to you, where are Ginny and Hermione?" he asked.

Ron sufficiently awake now told Harry that Hermione and Ginny had gone somewhere to talk as soon as Harry went upstairs and as far as he knew they hadn't come back yet. He figured Hermione would've woken him up if they got back.

"Good," said Harry "I needed to talk to you alone and I didn't want to raise any questions from them had they been here."

The common room was completely empty now except for himself and Ron. Harry sank down into in the other over stuffed chair wondering how best to approach Ron about the subject of Ginny. Turns out he didn't have to, Ron did.

"Is this about Ginny Harry?" he asked as if it were the most natural question in the world.

"How do you know? As a matter of fact how does it seem like everyone knows before me?" Harry asked quizzically.

"Its rather obvious to the onlooker Harry, you and Ginny seem to be the only one's that have seemed not to notice yet." Ron replied.

"What am I going to do?" asked Harry looking helplessly into the fire.

Ron shrugged, "Tell her," he said once again as if it was the most natural thing.

"But, but Ron, I can't just go up to your little sister and tell her that can I?" Harry exclaimed.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Well first off she _is_ your little sister, and I don't want to do anything that would make you upset or angry at me so you wouldn't talk to me anymore. It happened at the Triwizard and it was horrible not having my best friend there by my side for awhile." started Harry. "Secondly, I don't think or rather it appears that she doesn't like me anymore, she likes Landon," At these last words once again Harry's eyes flashed that dangerous Jade green, and he clenched his fists.

"Harry you stupid _git_ I have always wanted you and Ginny to try to be together! Well at least since our fourth year anyway," said Ron. "As far as Landon is concerned...well I don't think he's a concern." Ron finished.

"Ron I know, or at least I think I know how I feel about Ginny and if I want to date her, but if I tried and we worked out I would never want to do anything that would hurt her," said Harry. He waved his hand impatiently for Ron to let him finish.

"What if this prophecy thing is true? What if Voldemort (Ron shivered at his name) isn't the one who dies? What if it's me?" Harry's voice went quiet at these last words. Saying them aloud was a lot scarier then thinking, and he's thought about it quite a bit.

Ron looked shocked at Harry's statement and for the first time it really dawned on Ron how much in danger his best friend was and how he could possibly lose him.

"That can't H-harry! You've defeated him V-V-Vvoldem-mort loads of times! If the prophecy is true then why would it be any different this time?" Ron's face had paled at the sound of Voldemort's name.

"I don't know Ron," said Harry. Then it dawned on him that Ron had just said Voldemort's name for the first time ever. "You did it Ron!! You said his name!! Exclaimed Harry.

"I did? Yeah I did didn't I!!" Ron to exclaimed. "But don't expect me to say as often or as easily as you though Harry," he cautioned his friend.

Harry felt the now normal dull pound of his scar, intensify. He immediately put up his shield that he learned from Professor Helixa but not soon enough.

He could hear the angry voice of Voldemort. Then his scar went down to dull pound like normal, the Occlumency worked. Harry still put his hand to his scar and said "oh oh" he realized that somewhere a Death Eater was being hurt.

Ron accustomed to this now asked, "Is he angry or happy Harry?"

"He's angry, but I don't know why, I used my Occlumency lessons to block it out," said Harry.

"So the Occlumency lessons are still going strong?" stated Ron.

"Yes they are, ever since Professor Helixa was ordered to give me lessons."

Just then the portrait hole swung open and in came Ginny and Hermione. Harry's stomach did an uncomfortable flip-flop and his heart skipped a beat when he saw her.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_She said and looked at her watch. "We'd better hurry back before curfew Ginny."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Carpe Diem!"_ said Hermione at the Fat Lady's portrait. The Fat Lady swung forward and admitted them.

When they walked in they saw that Ron was still in the Common Room and they also saw that Harry was out there to.

When Ginny saw him she felt a new surge of sympathy for Harry knowing at least partially why he and Parvati broke up. She really wanted to go over there and hold him and tell him that she would never break his heart. She knew though that right now that would be an incredibly wrong thing to do right now.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginny and Hermione came in and sat down on the couch that was in between Harry and Ron's chairs.

"Hi Harry, hey Ron!" said Hermione going over to give Ron a quick kiss before she sat down.

"Hi Hermione" Harry said smiling at her. He looked at Ginny and once again his emotions went crazy. "Uh...Hi Ginny." and quickly Harry looked away from her.

The four friends sat together in comfortable silence for awhile watching the fire dance and crackle cheerfully. "We should probably all go up to bed now, its late." With those words said they went up the stairs together and the girls broke off to the right while the boys broke off to the left.

Harry and Ron changed into their pajamas and said "goodnight" to each other, and then they pulled the scarlet curtains around their beds. Right before Harry nodded off to sleep he thought to himself _"I am so glad that this day is finally over."_ He drifted off to a deep sleep; he didn't even hear Ron's snores or Dean, Seamus and Neville coming in from whatever they were doing.


	4. Chapter 4: Truth's Between Lies

**CHAPTER FOUR: THE TRUTH'S BETWEEN THE LIES   
**

The next week flew by, with nothing out of the ordinary, and when the weekend came; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walked around the castle grounds mostly and did their homework. They had kept their promise to Dumbledore to watch out for each other. Ginny was almost always with them, Hermione was happy about it, she loved having Ginny around, Harry was happy to but slightly uncomfortable, Ron on the other hand wasn't enjoying it much. Each day that passed he was getting considerably more moody. Dumbledore was right; he didn't like being Ginny's keeper. Ginny didn't seem to mind too much, she was with Harry and Hermione and as long as they were with her Landon was leaving her alone.

Sunday loomed up on them and the sky was a slate grey, there was wind and rumbles in the sky but no rain. On Sunday evening before dinner Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to go to visit Hagrid, they asked Ginny if she wanted to accompany them but seeing that Ron really didn't want that she declined saying she needed to study.

So Harry, Ron and Hermione headed to Hagrid's Hut for a visit.

They ran into Draco and his gang as they were heading into the dungeons. Since the Quidditch scare they had stayed mostly away from them and the trio welcomed it.

That didn't mean that Draco hadn't been known to whisper obscene things under his breath and Crabbe and Goyle growled at them and balling up their fists as if begging for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to give them a reason to hit them. This time was no different and they just ignored it and headed out into the storm that they knew was coming.

"Maybe we should wait to visit Hagrid when a storm isn't looming," Hermione said nervously.

Ron took her hand and told her not to worry. "We'll be safely back in the castle before the storm starts." He said and smiled at Hermione. She and Ron stopped and kissed for a moment, Harry, not wanting to see that kept on walking towards the hut.

When they reached the door to Hagrid's hut Harry knocked and he heard Fang behind the door barking. And then the door flew open and Hagrid's happy face met them.

"Come in! Come in! I was beginning ta wonder if yer three had forgotten me, been here three weeks and you still haven't come ta visit me." He ushered them inside and had them sit down. Hagrid poured some tea in four mugs and handed them to the trio, taking one for himself, and he sat down. "Alrigh there Hermione, Ron an 'Arry?" asked Hagrid.

"We're all right Hagrid, how about you?" asked Hermione.

"Fine, fine, actually I'm better en fine. Madame Maxine and I have been correspondin to each other an she finally admitted that she was half giant," said Hagrid beaming,

"An ole Grawpy, well he's gettin along better in the forest. I built him a home there and since he's unnerstandin more things he doesn't need me taken care 'o him as much as he used to." Said Hagrid a suspicious glimmer in his eyes.

"But enough bout me, how're you three gettin along? I heard what happened a few weeks back when ye were practicin Quidditch." said Hagrid.

"Yeah, that was really scary, but Harry handled it well." said Hermione.

"'Arry? Are you okay? You're awful quiet." said Hagrid concern showing on his face.

"Perfectly fine Hagrid," said Harry although he was far from fine, he just spotted Ginny walking around outside and saw Landon catch up with her. He had followed her around the walls of the castle out of Harry's sight. He didn't care what Ron thought, he was convinced that she liked Landon and that his chances were gone. His eyes narrowed, he thought back to that day where Ginny had run into him upset. He had seen Landon disappearing around a corner. He still had to have his little chat with him.

Hermione, Ron and Harry didn't stay much longer, the wind outside was picking up. Harry was a little worried about Ginny, he hadn't seen her come back, although he doubted she was in any danger Landon was with her, he thought darkly.

Hagrid looked at his watch and said "Blimey! Dinner is going to start in five minutes! we'd better head up there." So he, Harry, Hermione and Ron set their tea down and left his hut walking into the wind, howling now and fought their way against it to the castle, it was rather easy Hagrid walked in front of them so he could block the wind from knocking them down.

Right before they got to the castle walls Ginny and Landon came around the corner, and Ginny looked upset and furious. Harry had to put his hands in his robes and clench his fists so he wouldn't punch out Landon.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Harry although he was far from fine, he just spotted Ginny walking around outside and saw Landon catch up with her. He had followed her around the walls of the castle.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

After Harry, Ron and Hermione left for Hagrid's Ginny stayed in the Common Room for a bit trying to read. She gave up because she couldn't concentrate; Hermione's words were still floating around in her mind. So she decided to get some fresh air, she got up and headed downstairs. The wind had picked up but she didn't care she loved the wind and the scent of England's country. She started walking and thinking about what could she do to tell Harry she liked him without really saying anything. She was not happy at all when Landon spotted her and jogged to catch up with her. "Ginny! Hey Ginny! Wait up!" he shouted over the wind. She sighed, she didn't want him anywhere near her but being who she was, and after all Landon _was_ her friend she kept walking but she slowed down her pace. She was so tired of being pursued by him.

"Yes Landon, what do you want?" she asked him when he caught up to her.

"Just to talk Ginny, you haven't spoken two words to me since the Greenhouse a week ago." He said, Ginny sighed she **had** been avoiding him, she couldn't deny it.

"I've been busy," she said.

Landon snorted "Yeah with Potter, your brother and his girlfriend."

"They are my friends to Landon, what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked and kept on walking.

Landon reached out and grabbed her arm and turned her roughly to face him.

Ginny looked at his hand on her arm fearfully and tried to shake it off. "Let go of me!" she cried trying harder to break his grasp, he only tightened his hold.

He then blurted out "I want to talk to you about us, me and you!"

Ginny, who's eyes never left his face said, "There is no us, there never was, and there never will be!"

"Why? Why can't there be us?" he demanded angrily, shaking her arm.

"Let go of me! You're hurting my arm!" said Ginny just as angrily but with slight fear in her voice.

"I won't let go until you tell me why?" he said.

"You want to know why Landon? For just this reason! You treat females horribly, and then when you're done with one you leave them upset and move onto another girl! Well I refuse to be another girl on your check list!" said Ginny, she finally was able to yank her arm away from him. She started to run away from him but he caught her again.

"I don't want to treat you that way Ginny! I want to be a **REAL** boyfriend..." he started but Ginny cut him off.

"Until someone else stumbles in you path that you find prettier or exciting. I won't let you do that to me, and the best way for me to not become a victim of you is to stay as far as possible away from you, I want to keep your friendship but nothing more, and right now I'm not even sure I want that!" She once again yanked herself out of his grasp, and he once again caught her.

He grabbed her arm and spun her around so she was pressed in between the castle walls and him. "It won't be like that this time Ginny, I think I'm in love with you, please give me a chance to prove it." He pleaded with her, and then he did the only other thing he could think possible to show her he cared. He kissed her hard on the lips. Ginny struggled but it was no use she was trapped between a wall and his body.

He finally let her go, his breath ragged. "Now can you see how much I want you with me?" he asked through pants of air. He let her arms go and stepped back from her.

Ginny slugged Landon hard in the stomach and made him double over in pain. "The only thing I see is a guy who won't take **NO** for an answer." she wiped her mouth and continued. "If you ever do that again I swear I'll make you pay!" With Landon still on the ground she turned on her heel and started walking away.

Landon seeing her walking away struggled to his feet, and tried to catch her as she was going around the corner. Just as he did and was about to say something they ran into Hagrid, Harry, Ron and Hermione.

He saw Harry take in his and Ginny's appearance and he also saw that Harry plunged his hands into his robes where they clenched into fist. Landon smiled wickedly; he knew what to do next.

Although Landon liked Harry well enough as a person, fellow Quidditch player, and a Captain he would not let anyone get in his way when it came to Ginny, he wanted her in his life more then he ever wanted anything else.

"Ginny! Landon! What's wrong?!" Hermione exclaimed looking from Ginny's angry face to Landon's twisted smile.

"Nothing Hermione, we just had a...um...misunderstanding." Said Ginny coldly, she refused to look at Harry otherwise she'd risk him seeing tears in her eyes and her ashamed blush.

She did however shoot a warning glare at Landon who noticed it but chose to ignore it. He turned on the waterworks which he had mastered in his manipulative ways and faked (well sort of) being devastated; he did feel hurt from Ginny's rejection.

"What do you mean nothing? Did our kiss not mean anything to you? Did you not ask for more? Did I not have to pull away from you myself?" He said, crying.

Ginny's mouth gaped open and she said "I didn't do that or ask that!" she exclaimed.  
Landon sniffled and looked at Ginny like she was the only person in the world. That was too much for Harry. He left his friends and Landon and headed into the castle never saying anything to any of them.

The last thing Harry heard was Ginny yelling something about "How...something heart was...something," for the wind was howling even louder now. He thought he heard someone calling his name but he didn't turn around, he ignored it and the castle doors closed behind him cutting out the wind and the rumblings and the only voice that could have ever cheered him up.

Once the doors closed behind him he didn't head for the Great Hall where hundreds of happy voices were talking, laughing and eating. He didn't go to the Gryffindor tower, or the Library, not even the Room of Requirement. Instead he headed to the one-eyed hump backed witch. Without even bothering to look around he took out his wand, tapped the hump and whispered _Dissendum!"_

The witches hump sprang to life and let Harry into the dark tunnel. Once he was in the hump closed again and he was left in complete darkness. _"Lumos!"_ said Harry, and his wand tip flared up with light.

In the sanctuary of the tunnel Harry finally allowed himself to do what he had held back for awhile. He tucked up his knees, rested his hands and his head on them and cried. He cried till there was nothing left in him of his feelings for Ginny. He decided then and there to never, ever think twice about Ginevra Molly Weasley again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unheard by Harry above someone was sobbing out his name, and two other voices were calling for him too, trying to find him.

Harry must've fallen asleep for when he awoke he was on his stomach, cold and with a crick in his neck. His wand was still lighted. _"Nox"_ he said, and the wand went out, leaving Harry in complete darkness. Then he felt it, his scar flaming up with Voldemort's feelings, "OUCH!" he said and his scar burned white hot. Voldemort was happy; someone new had joined his side, someone very close to Harry. Harry passed out and knew no more, he dreamed horrible, unspeakable dreams

Ginny called and called for Harry through sobs, but Harry wasn't responding to hers, Ron's or Hermione's voices. She called and called until her voice went hoarse. Harry had been missing well over four hours now; Ginny, Ron and Hermione were beside themselves with worry. No one they ran into had seen Harry, and some people had even joined them in looking for him, and they still turned up with nothing. They had searched all of Harry's regular haunts and he wasn't there.

Ginny ran up to Ron and Hermione crying freely now. "I have to find him! I have to!" she croaked to them before falling on the floor, her body was racked with sobs. She felt the hands of her brother and Hermione but she shrugged them off. "It's my fault! All mine!" she cried out. That was the last thing she said or knew before she passed out from fear for Harry, exhaustion form looking for him and anger at herself and Landon, especially Landon.

She didn't feel Ron pick her up; she didn't feel Madame Pomphrey's cool, smooth hand wiping her hair out of her eyes and face. She didn't see that Ron was sitting with shock on his face or Hermione's crying softly. She just knew blackness and she welcomed it, reaching for it and chanting "Take me away" and away it did take Ginny.

What Ron didn't understand but Hermione did was why Harry's disappearance affected Ginny so much that she passed out. Hermione explained as best she could to Ron about how deep Ginny's feelings ran for Harry.

What neither of them however did not know was why or what did Landon do to traumatize Ginny. Neither of them believed for a second Landon's story. She hadn't told them yet, she didn't have a chance.

They heard the doors to the infirmary open and were surprised to see Professor Dumbledore walking over to them looking grim. His normally twinkling eyes were dull and unreadable. "Ron, Hermione why didn't you watch out for Ginny like I asked you to and you promised?" he asked them.

Ron and Hermione looked startled at his quiet reprimand. It was Ron who recovered and spoke first, "but Professor Dumbledore, we have been."

Dumbledore shook his head, "Not when she needed it the most, not when Landon pushed Ginny up against a wall and kissed her against her will." They looked surprised at this, "After he found out Ginny was in the Hospital Wing he came and confessed everything to me." He saw Ron clench his fists and ground his teeth his eyes smiled a little bit now. "Not to worry Ron his punishment was to get suspended for the rest of this term. He won't be back until the spring."

"But Professor Dumbledore, how were we to know that he would attack Ginny?" implored Hermione.

He looked at Hermione and said, "You've known for some time that Landon was bothering Ginny, yet you let him overtake her in a most vulnerable state." said Dumbledore. "Why do you think Ginny has been so happy this past week? It's because she was with you, and when she was with you LANDON never bothered her."

"No we didn't know that Landon was bothering her, she never told us." Said Ron angrily.

"Yes Ron, we did know." said Hermione, Ron turned and stared at her. "We knew Ron, we knew about the letters he kept sending her almost every day of the summer and we saw that when she got them she went pale and threw them away. Almost two weeks ago she sat down with us under the tree with Landon right behind her pleading with us to let her stay, we both saw Landon's reaction to Harry when he sent Persephone with him to go get the Professor's that night instead of Ginny on the Quidditch Field when the Slytherins were stunned, and also today, we knew that something was wrong with her," finished Hermione.

She then looked at Dumbledore and told him "We tried to get Ginny to come with us today to go to Hagrid's but Ginny said 'no' she knew Ron didn't want her there."

Realization was dawning on Ron's face, and then he quickly turned angrily at Hermione and said "That's not true!"

Hermione calmly looked back at him and said, "Yes, it is true, and you know it just like all of us knew it."

Ron couldn't argue with that. Ron covered his face with his hands, "She had to fight off Landon's lie today all by herself because we in some small aspect believed him." Some tears trickled down his face. He blamed himself for Ginny's attack today.

"Professor Dumbledore?" asked Hermione tentatively.

"Yes, Hermione?" Asked Dumbledore and turned to her.

"Is Harry in trouble for this too?" she continued sweeping her hand towards Ginny.

"Hermione; you, Ron and Harry aren't in trouble at all. But if you were, Harry would be to. He has much bigger troubles on his mind right now. He can't do everything on his own. I would have hoped that you two would have realized it and had taken Ginny under your wing," said Dumbledore with disappointment in his voice.

He looked down at the unmoving form of Ginny and sadly shook his head. He turned around and started walking away, "Ron? I believe you will find Harry under a certain statue in the hall." And Dumbledore left.

For a moment Ron looked confused then once again realization dawned on his face, he sprang up and said "Of Course! If I'd've thought of that before it would've saved us a lot of time and pain!" and he ran out of the infirmary before Hermione could say anything at all.

She looked down at Ginny and took her hand, and put it up to her mouth and gave it a kiss, "Hold on Ginny, Harry's coming." She pulled up a chair to Ginny's bedside still holding her hand.

Ron got to the one-eyed hump backed witch and looked around the halls to make sure no one was coming and then he took out his wand, tapped and whispered _"Dissendum!"_ for the second time that night the witches hump sprang to life and revealed the tunnel. When Ron looked down into the tunnel it revealed to him Harry, splayed out and unconscious. He jumped back and went running to find a Professor, any Professor. Silently the hump swung shut again.

He found Professor Helixa in the teacher's lounge he quickly told her about what he found and she jumped up and followed Ron to the witch. He said the incantation again and they found Harry still unconscious.

Professor Helixa put a movement spell on Harry's body and he floated out of the tunnel. _"Accio Stretcher!"_ she said and immediately a stretcher was at her side. Slowly she lowered Harry onto the stretcher and when he was secure she said _"Locomotor Stretcher!"_ and the stretcher followed her and Ron to the hospital wing.

Hermione was still sitting in her chair holding Ginny's hand when Ron came back with Professor Helixa and Harry on a stretcher. Hermione smothered a scream when she saw him on the stretcher and she ran to them. "Ron! What happened? Where was he?" she asked near hysterics.

Madame Pomphrey came bustling in and bewitched Harry onto the bed next to Ginny and Professor Helixa left after Ron and Hermione thanked her. Then Ron pulled Hermione to him and he explained where and how he found Harry.

Madame Pomphrey was bustling around Harry checking his pulse and other vitals and saw everything was fine but she still "tut, tutted."

"What's the matter with Harry? asked Ron.

"Nothing that's too serious, he's somewhat sleep deprived and he needs food, but if I'm not much mistaken these dry streaks on his cheeks means he was crying, before he passed out. I'd say that all the signs lead to a broken heart." She said to Ron and Hermione.

"Why do you say 'all the signs'?" asked Hermione "What are the signs?"

"A lot of times they stop eating well, they don't sleep the greatest, and they also often take to hiding themselves," she said and then continued. "How long has Harry been hiding?"

Hermione and Ron looked startled, "do you mean really hiding or kind of hiding?" asked Hermione.

"Both" she said.

"Well he's been kind of hiding almost since we got back to school, but he only really hid today." said Ron after thinking a minute. "But what does that have to do with what's wrong with Harry?" He asked confusedly.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Madame Pomphrey smirked, "I'll let Miss Granger answer that question." she said and she walked out.

"Hermione?" Ron turned to look at her.

Hermione looked from Ginny to Harry and back to Ron. She took his hand and led him away from their beds.

She sat him down on an empty bed and then sat across from him on a chair. She took a deep breath and knew she had to tell him everything in order for him to understand what Ginny was going through. She knew he wouldn't be happy about it.

"In order for you to understand what's going on with Ginny I need to...to confess something to you." She then proceeded to tell him everything she told Ginny. She told him that her and Harry had come to a plan to get him to notice her. The plan had worked but at a bad price. "Harry and Parvati broke up because of what we did. We didn't expect her to do what she did. But somehow we must've done a terrific job of acting for her to get shaken like she did." She could tell Ron didn't know whether to be shocked or angry.

"Hermione a lot of thing happened that day, you and Harry did a lot which one are you talking about?" asked Ron.

Hermione said no more, she decided that it wasn't the time or the place to tell him; he was not emotionally ready for it with his sister and his best friend hurt.

When she didn't answer, Ron threw out another question at her. "So what does this have to do with Ginny and Harry?" He asked her slowly.

"Because Ron, Ginny and Harry love each other but neither of them knows it! What Harry is going through, is what I went through with you for almost six years! Fortunately for me I was able to table my feelings a lot easier then Harry. He's had so much hardship in his life, and the one girl, the only girl that can ease his pain, he thinks is interested in someone else!" Exclaimed Hermione.

"You mean Ginny loves Harry and he doesn't know it and that's why she blames herself for Harry's disappearance?" asked Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes again, "Honestly Ron you are so thick sometimes! Isn't that what I just told you?" said Hermione exasperatedly.

"But how do you know?" he asked.

"I know, because Ginny told me herself, that night we left you in the common room, but Ginny doesn't think he loves her back."

"But he does! He told me so that same night!" shouted Ron.

"SHHH! Ron keep your voice down!" warned Hermione. "Did he actually say he loved her?" she asked him.

"We-ell no not exactly, he said he cared about her and he wanted to try, but he's afraid he'll hurt her if the prophecy is true, but instead of V-v-voldem-mort dying, he will die." Said Ron summarizing what Harry had told him.

"Ron! You said his name!" Hermione jumped up excitedly and gave him a hug and a kiss.

She sobered up again and said, "He said that?! So for a week now they're both sure and neither has said it to the other." Exclaimed Hermione her voice rising a bit too. "This is terrible! Someone has to say something, and soon, or they'll both be miserable." She said her voice lowering a notch.

After a moment of silence Ron asked Hermione, "So Hermione, what was the plan you and Harry figured out?" asked Ron.

Hermione smiled, "I'll tell you soon, right now we're both to worried about Harry and Ginny." She said.

And Ron pounced on Hermione in the chair and tickled her. "Oh no you don't! I want to know!"

Hermione shrieked with laughter and said "Soon! I p-promise!" and she burst into another peal of laughter.

"What is going on in here?!" exclaimed Madame Pomphrey. Upon hearing the commotion she came out to inspect. "There are two patients in hear who need quiet." she continued.

Hermione and Ron immediately stopped feeling ashamed but happy. Their gaze drifted to their two best friends, neither of them had moved or opened their eyes or made a sound.

"Now you two off to your Tower now, let them rest peacefully." Madame Pomphrey started to shoo them out, but a sound stopped them.

Madame Pomphrey, Hermione and Ron turned at the sound of a weak voice. "Don't go," they looked from Harry's bed to Ginny's still neither had mover, but Ginny's lips were moving to form words again. "Harry don't go," Madame Pomphrey, Ron and Hermione looked startled at Ginny's statement.

"That's what she screamed earlier when she saw Harry walk away from us and Landon outside of the castle." said Ron, white lipped.

Madame Pomphrey bustled over to Ginny's bed and checked her pulse. Relief flooded her face "she's going to be alright." she said. The students here were like her children so when one of them gets better she's happy. "I will want Miss Weasley to stay overnight here to make sure she's fine but she should be able to go to her classes tomorrow."

Hermione and Ron were now at Ginny's bedside, her eyes were still closed, and she hadn't said anything after her "don't go."

"Miss Granger will you be so kind as to bring Miss Weasley a clean school uniform to her in the morning?" and Hermione nodded her head.

"Madame Pomphrey, what about Harry?" Hermione asked her quietly.

Madame Pomphrey looked at Harry and sighed, "I don't think he'll be going to classes tomorrow, he needs sleep and food. I'm hoping by Tuesday he'll be able to resume his classes, but no guarantee." She left to go to her office to tell Professor Dumbledore the status of her patients.

Hermione and Ron were looking at Madame Pomphrey so they didn't see Ginny open her eyes. She had heard everything the nurse said, and she turned her head to see Harry pale face, her eyes filled with tears, but none came. She couldn't help but think again, that this was her fault.

She reached out to take Hermione's hand; Hermione looked down into Ginny's face which was now turned towards her and Ron. Ginny pulled on Hermione's hand causing Hermione to bend down. She took Ron' hand and pulled, when he looked at Hermione she looked pointedly at Ginny's face.

Ron looked down and saw Ginny awake, he was so relieved. "Ginny" he whispered and he to bent down to hear what Ginny was trying to say.

"I'm sorry" she whispered to them, and she turned her head towards Harry again, and drifted off to sleep, still turned towards Harry.

Hermione and Ron kissed Ginny on the cheek and went over to Harry. Hermione gave his cheek a kiss as well and Ron briefly covered Harry's hand with his own. Then he pulled it back.

Slowly he and Hermione turned and headed out of the Hospital Wing. Hermione had silent tears running down her face and she sighed. Ron wiped away her tears and put his arm softly about Hermione's waist. He stopped her and turned her to him and pulled her into a hug. He released her but kept her in his gaze. "They're alright Myone, they're just tired, and in no time they'll be with us again." he said, then he kept his arm around her waist and they disappeared out the doors.

As Ron closed the doors behind them they were not at all surprised to see Professor Dumbledore heading their way. No doubt to check on Ginny and Harry. He stopped "Hello Ron, Hermione," he said to them. He started walking again.

"Professor Dumbledore sir?" Ron asked tentatively.

He stopped and turned to Ron. "Yes Ron?"

"H-how, did you know where I could find Harry? And if you did how come you didn't bring him back yourself?" asked Ron, he couldn't imagine what caused him to question the Headmaster.

Hermione elbowed him and hissed "RON!"

Dumbledore smiled and said "It's alright Hermione, Ron and you have a right to know something."

Ron and Hermione's mouths fell open, they couldn't believe it! THEIR headmaster was going to tell them something?! They knew that Dumbledore sometimes told Harry things but not them.

"The simplest way I can describe it, was that I felt it, I felt something was happening to Harry, and I then confirmed it in my own way. I have been monitoring Harry very closely since Voldemort got a hold of him during the Triwizard Tournament. Voldemort wants his battle with Harry and he wants it soon" said Dumbledore, "and the reason I didn't go get Harry is because I couldn't."

"Why?" asked Ron and Hermione elbowed him again glaring at him. Ron hung his head, "Sorry Professor, I know you had your reasons." he apologized.

Dumbledore laughed, "Yes Ron I did, but you are not to know that." He said goodnight to Ron and Hermione and continued to the Infirmary doors.

As Dumbledore closed the doors behind him he leaned wearily against then for a moment, taking in the welcome silence of the Infirmary. Then with determination holding up his spine he walked over to where Ginny and Harry were lying asleep. He walked to Ginny's bed first and pulled her curtains around her bed, he the placed an Impenetrable charm around her and her bed so she could not see nor hear anything and also so Harry couldn't hear or see her either.

He then went to Harry's bed and gently prodded him awake. "Harry, Harry, wake up," said Dumbledore, Harry moaned and tried pulling away from Dumbledore's grasp. Dumbledore shook harder, "Harry, I need to speak with you!" and finally Dumbledore saw Harry's eyes flutter open.

"Pro-professor Dumbledore? Where am I?" he squinted around where he was. Dumbledore handed him his glasses. When Harry put on his glasses he tried to sit up and immediately dizziness fell over him and he had to fall back on the pillows. The storm outside had reached high octave and Harry could hear rain splattering on the window panes and the wind rattling them.

"Careful Harry, you are in the infirmary, I would not have awakened you if it wasn't necessary." he said.

"How did I get here?" asked Harry.

"Your friend Ron found you unconscious in the tunnel, he ran to get help and he found Professor Helixa, she then brought you here." said Dumbledore.

Harry's eyes were adjusting now to the dark and he saw another bed was full next to him.


	5. Chapter 5: An Attack in the Night

_**A/N: DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harry Potter characters, they belong to JK Rowling and her team of Publisher's and Editors. This is a FAN made story, any new characters, or new objects, spells, plots (And there's plenty) are mine alone. This chapter is a bit darker then the previous ones. I'm still sticking with my "T" rating but if anyone who knows and understands these ratings more could you tell me at ANY time in ANY chapter if I need to switch it to "M"? I don't think it's that graphic but JIC. Nitingale**_

_**CHAPTER FIVE: AN ATTACK IN THE NIGHT**_

Dumbledore's eyes followed Harry's and before Harry could say anything he said. "Do you know who is in that bed next to you Harry?" When he didn't respond Dumbledore continued. "It is Ginny Weasley."

Harry tried to jump out of his bed to get to Ginny but his dizziness and Dumbledore's restraining hand stopped him.

"Not to worry Harry, she will be fine, but I must command you to listen to me, it is very important." said Dumbledore.

Harry tried one more feeble attempt to get out of bed but when it didn't work he laid back down, "If she's alright then why is she here?" asked Harry angrily. This was only the second time in his life at Hogwarts that he was mad at Dumbledore.

"If you'll calm down Harry, I'll tell you." said Dumbledore placatingly. Harry told himself to settle down and listen to Dumbledore.

When Dumbledore saw that Harry was ready to listen, he began. "Harry, Ginny is here because she made herself sick with worry when she, Ron and Hermione couldn't find you, after you left your friends and Mr. Vance outside before dinner. You went missing for about four hours before your friend Ron found you in the tunnel. But he didn't find you soon enough, Ginny had already passed out." Dumbledore stopped for a moment to make sure Harry was still listening.

Harry was, and he felt horribly guilty for putting his friends in a state of worry over him. He couldn't understand how the people that he claims he loves the most he kept on alienating.

"Do you not remember anything I told you four that night out on the Quidditch field? You four need each other right now even more then you think. Especially after I tell you the rest of what I need to say." He paused again collecting his thoughts

"Harry, my source tells me that Voldemort is anxious to start battle with you, but not until he is sure you are alone with no friends, and no one to care about you. He will start sending problems your way, both real-like attacks on those you care for-and fake ones-like dreams and such." He stopped so this could sink into Harry.

"He will continue until you push everyone away from you, especially Ginny." He stopped and looked over to Ginny's bed with the curtains closed around her. "He wants you to be alone so you won't care whether you live or die so he can become powerful." He continued.

Harry was shocked and worried, would he be able to recognize these as obstacles from Voldemort or would he truthfully push everyone away? He didn't know the answer to that. "Why is he focusing mostly on Ginny? I mean Ron and Hermione are just as important to me." That wasn't exactly the truth he knew it and so did Dumbledore.

"Do they Harry?" asked Dumbledore. When Harry didn't say anything he continued. "You know as well as I why he's focusing mostly on Ginny, she's the most important person to you now even more so then Ron." Dumbledore suddenly looked tired and very old.

"I know you love Ginny even though you are not prepared to say it yet, and I also know that you would do anything to protect her, even stand in her way if death is coming onto her. Voldemort knows that too." He said.

"You need to ask yourself if you are prepared to sacrifice Ginny, or Ron or Hermione if that is the only way Voldemort will be no more. Or are you prepared for both you and Voldemort to die, and you'll leave Ginny alone in this world without you?"

Harry's heart did an uncomfortable turn and it sped up. Slowly Harry asked, "So you don't believe I can defeat Voldemort do you Professor Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore patted Harry's hand and said, "I believe that you can do it if you set your mind and heart on it."

Harry looked down at Dumbledore's hand and said, "I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore, but I will not let myself die especially if it means Ginny will be left alone, whether we're together or not, I couldn't do that to her. I will also do my very best to keep them alive all of them even if they are in the way of me defeating him."

"There Harry, you have made your choice, but I still think you should consider my questions and look deep within your soul for your answers." He paused and smiled tiredly at Harry, "You know you have always been more then a student at my school, for what it's worth, I meant what I said about believing in you." Said Dumbledore.

He went to Ginny's bed and took the charm off her bed and pulled the curtains away from her bed so Harry could see her. She was still facing his bed; a few dried tears were on her cheek from where they leaked out after she fell asleep again."

Quietly Dumbledore walked out and closed the doors. Harry waited until he was sure that he wasn't coming back and that Madame Pomphrey wasn't coming out to check on them.

He then slowly sat up in his bed, willing the dizziness to go away, when it did, he slowly set his feet on the floor, and went to Ginny's bedside. He got on his knees, for he was still weak and took her hand in one of his and used his other free hand to brush a few strands of hair out of her face.

He looked at her angelic face and said, "I won't leave you alone Ginny, even if you don't want me anymore. I love you and I've only just realized this. I will always be here for you." He gently brushed her face and then her lips with soft kisses and stared at her for a few more moments.

Then he slowly got back up on his feet and fell back in his bed. He didn't even remove his glasses, he kept them on so he could watch her as his eyes closed softly again and he fell into a fitful sleep. His thoughts of never giving Ginny a second thought again had vanished from his mind.

A scream and a loud crashing sound woke Harry up from his nightmare. The howling wind had picked up and the rain drops were so big they made huge"plunks" on the glass.

**"HARRY! HARRY HELP ME!!!"** Shrieked a very scared voice, it was Ginny's. She was being pulled off her bed by her ankles and she was desperately trying to hold on to the iron headboard.

"**GINNY! GINNY WHAT'S WRONG?!?!"** Called Harry jumping off his bed, his vision was blurry, where were his glasses, he knew he had gone to sleep with them on. He squinted and felt around for them. He found them on the floor by his bed. He put them back on his face and what he saw knocked the wind out of him. Ginny was struggling to hold on to her bed while a dark hooded figure was pulling at her ankles.

"Madame Pomphrey! Madame Pomphrey! Help! Get Help! Harry shouted to her when he saw her coming out of her adjoining bedroom. He saw that she froze at the sight of Ginny struggling. "Madame Pomphrey **GO!"** He shouted once again at her, she unfroze and flew out of the infirmary; she ran into her room and threw Floo Powder in her fireplace.

"Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's Office!" she exclaimed, the office came into her view and she shrieked "Professor Dumbledore! We need your help!" She needed not to say more, Dumbledore flew out of his office and out of her sight.

Back in the Infirmary Harry was searching desperately for his robes which had his wand, all the while hearing Ginny's screams in the background. "I'm coming Ginny!" He came to a quick decision; he gave up looking for his robes and his wand and flew at Ginny's attacker, jumped on his back, and put his arms around the attacker's neck.

Ginny was sobbing now, her hands and legs were aching, and she knew she couldn't hold on much longer. She sobbed out, "Harry, he's hurting me!"

That's all it took, Harry put all his energy into taking the attackers mind off Ginny long enough so she could get away. The attacker muffled a groan, let go of Ginny's legs and put his hands on Harry's, twisting his arms so Harry let go just enough for the attacker to throw him against a wall, Harry crashed into the wall, pain shot through his entire body, his scar was worse then burning white hot. Then he knew nothing, he went unconscious, blood was trickling out of his scar.

Harry was unconscious, Ginny knew this much but he had given her enough time to reach in her robes to get her wand. She pointed the wand right at her attacker and said as loud as she could **"STUPEFY!!!"** Green sparks flew out of her wand at top speed and hit her attacker right in his rib cage. He cried and fell backward, completely stiff.

Ginny wanted to make sure that he was for sure out then she dropped her wand and ran to Harry's lifeless form. Tears leaked freely out of her eyes as she cradled Harry in her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Harry! Harry Come back! don't leave me now!" she shrieked over and over again until her voice could scream no more, then she just sat and rocked Harry in her arms her tears dripping all over him.

The door burst open with a loud bang and Ginny looked up and cried with relief, a fresh shed of tears coming now, tears of relief mingled with tears of sorrow. In the doorway there stood Professor Dumbledore at the front wand pointed out, and with a fierce look on his face that she had never seen before. Behind him was Professor's McGonagall and Helixa, and behind them were Ron and Hermione, they had been woken up with a terrible feeling that something was happening.

Ginny's control however much she had was completely gone now and sobs racked her body, she saw them but she stayed right where she was holding Harry and rocking him. The Professor's and Ron and Hermione flooded in. Ron and Hermione went directly to Ginny, Professor Dumbledore to Madame Pomphrey to see what had happened and the other two to Ginny's attacker.

Ron and Hermione tried to gently pull Ginny away from Harry but she wouldn't let go. She looked up at them tears flowing down and she managed to say, "He t-t-tried t-to save mm-me, and l-l-ook what h-ha-ppend. And she went back to looking at Harry, and for the first time she saw his scar was bleeding.

"Madame Pomphrey! Professor Dumbledore! Harry is bleeding! He's bleeding from his scar!" shouted Ginny. Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomphrey rushed to where Ron, Hermione and Ginny holding an unconscious Harry were. "What does that mean?!"

"Ron, Hermione! Take Ginny away from Harry now!" commanded Professor Dumbledore.

Ron and Hermione tried again to pry her away from Harry, "NO!" she shouted "NO I won't leave him! He tried to save me!" Ron and Hermione all the while were yanking at Ginny, and finally they were able to get her away from him. Ginny struggled to no avail to go back to Harry, but she was too tired and Ron and Hermione were to strong. They brought Ginny back to her bed and instantly Hermione took matters into her own hands.

She calmed Ginny down enough by quietly telling Ginny over and over that Harry would be fine, and while she did that she stroked Ginny's hair. Right there, Ron fell in love with her all over again. He admired how she was taking charge of Ginny just like his mother would do.

"Poppy! Get me your strongest healing potion and a vial quickly!" Commanded Dumbledore. He lifted Harry off the floor and put him back on his bed. Hermione and Ron had sense enough to shield Ginny from seeing Harry limp and unmoving. She was still hysterical though not nearly as much.

Madame Pomphrey came back quickly with the healing potion, a vial, and a wet, warm washcloth. She shoved the Vial into his hand "Here Albus!" He took the vial from her whispered a few words and some of Harry's blood flew into the vial.

He then handed the vial back to Madame Pomphrey who promptly put a plastic seal on it. Dumbledore then wiped off the rest of the blood and sweat that was on Harry's face. He spread the healing potion all over Harry's scar, and on a small cut he found near the base of Harry's throat.

Madame Pomphrey handed Dumbledore the vial again once he was done and he put it in his robes. He was about to speak to Ron, Hermione and Ginny when Professor McGonagall's voice said, rather unbelievably...

"Uh...Albus? You're going to want to see who Ginny's attacker is yourself."

Dumbledore rushed to where Professor's McGonagall and Helixa were, and he gasped, a stunned silence fell throughout the room.

Ron and Hermione had finally calmed Ginny down waited by her side. They both wanted to see who her attacker was but knew they could not leave Ginny for fear she might look over at Harry and go into hysterics again. It was also none of their business even though he attacked both Harry and Ginny.

"Merlins Beard! Get him out of here NOW!" commanded Dumbledore, "Take him to my office and do not un-stun him until I get there! Just to be safe one of you must stay in my office with him."

"Yes headmaster" they both mumbled, and between the two of them they got the attacker out if the room.

"Ron, Hermione come here, Poppy, you stay with Harry and Ginny, give Ginny a dreamless sleep draught," he finished.

Ron and Hermione only stayed by Ginny's said long enough for Madame Pomphrey to get the "Dreamless Sleep Draught" and then they headed to where Dumbledore was. Which was the farthest bed away from Harry and Ginny, he did not want Ginny overhearing, Harry was still unconscious.

"Yes Professor Dumbledore?" They asked as they sat down in the chairs across from the bed. Dumbledore had covered his face with his hands. Now as they sat down he lowered his hands and they could see how much older and drained he looked. They had an awful fear that there beloved Headmaster was going to be gone, maybe not very soon but not longer then necessary.

"I would first like to congratulate you two on your calming Ginny down and staying by her side when she needed you the most even though you wanted to find out who her attacker is. I know how difficult that must be, you two exercised control beyond expectations."

Hermione and Ron blushed at Dumbledore's comments and shuffled their feet on the floor.

"May I ask how you two came to be here in our hour of need?" asked Dumbledore, knowing well how that came to be.

"It was like the Quidditch field Professor; we just felt that something was wrong." Said Hermione and Ron nodded his head in agreement.

Dumbledore nodded his head. He looked from one to the other and saw fear in their faces. "Does that bother you?"

Hermione and Ron blushed hard again. "No, it's just really scary, are we or Harry or Ginny in more danger because of this?" Asked Ron, tentatively.

"Yes, and No, you are because it could lead you very much into the danger that Voldemort would like. You aren't because you will always know when one of you is hurt." He said wisely. Ron and Hermione didn't know whether to still be scared, or somewhat relieved that they would always know when the others are in danger.

"I'm not sure I like this Professor," Hermione said, "I mean I want to know, but I don't want to know when Harry, Ron or Ginny are in trouble."

Dumbledore nodded his head showing he understood, and then he looked at Ron. "Ron?" he asked, and Ron nodded his head and hung it ashamed.

"Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to help you this bond was formed long ago, before you were even a glimmer of thought in you parents, or even your grandparents' minds." He stopped and looked at them. "If you would like we can try to train you to learn "Occlumency" as well I would prefer it if we didn't have to, your knowing in advance would help forewarn us in the "Order" but I am not you, so you two can make that decision on your own. I know it's not an easy one, nor is it fun either way. You two would like to become Order members, and these are decisions that they have to make on a regular basis."

"Secondly," started Dumbledore, "you have a right too know who attacked Ginny and threw Harry against a wall." Ron and Hermione leaned forward, dumbstruck for the second time that night, Dumbledore was going to tell them some more privileged information! He looked at them and said, "This is not easy at all for me to say to you, but Ginny's attacker was..." He broke off not really wanting to continue because he still couldn't believe it himself. He took a deep breath and said, "Ginny's attacker was...Neville Longbottom." He finished that sentence and breathed out as if getting a bad taste out of his mouth.

Hermione and Ron thought at first, Professor Dumbledore was joking them but they saw his face and knew he wasn't.

Their mouths dropped open and at first neither said anything. Then Hermione recovered first and said. "It can't be Neville! It just can't be!! He adores Ginny, and likes Harry a lot!" she shrieked. Ginny moved and moaned and Hermione lowered her voice.

"Are you sure Professor Dumbledore?" she asked. Looking at Ron for help, but Ron was still speechless.

Professor Dumbledore solemnly nodded his head. "Miss Granger, I would give anything to wish it weren't true, and I wouldn't believe had I not seen him for myself."

"It just can't be Neville!" Hermione exclaimed again, and covered her face with her hands and sobbed, Ron automatically put his arm around her and she cried into his night robe.

"Miss Granger, I am going to head up to my office and speak to Neville myself. I need to determine whether or not he did this on his own or if he was made to do it." said Dumbledore.

"You mean it might not have been on Neville? It might have been the _'Imperious Curse?'_" asked Ron.

"It could be, or he might be under something else, it's also possible that Neville may not be Neville, meaning someone could've used _'Polyjuice Potion'_ to take on Neville's form."

He stood up, "I must leave to my office now, promise me you will **NOT TELL ANYONE** anything at all especially Harry and Ginny no matter how much they ask." he said, and then after they promised, Dumbledore walked out of the room.

After Dumbledore left they sat in stunned silence, Ron still had his arm around Hermione's shoulders. They couldn't say anything to each other, and just stared down the way to where Harry and Ginny were.

Ron took his arm off of Hermione's shoulders, stood up and pulled her to stand with him. "Come on Myone, let's go say goodnight to them and head off to bed." he said and he started pulling her towards them.

She pulled out of his grasp and exclaimed "No Ron! We can't leave them not now, not after what happened!"

"But Hermione, Madame Pomphrey and Dumbledore will not let us stay with them, we have classes tomorrow morning. I highly doubt that they will send them to classes tomorrow and probably not on Tuesday either." Said Ron.

"Plus with it being our N.E.W.T. year we're going to have to keep Harry's notes up to date so he won't have to come back next year!"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply back when a quiet voice said, "Mr. Weasley's right Miss Granger, these two will not be going to classes tomorrow, Miss Weasley should be okay to return on Wednesday, but Mr. Potter, well let's just say he probably won't be ready to go back until next week." Madame Pomphrey said behind them.

"I wouldn't look so worried if I were you, Mr. Weasley your mum will be here any time now to watch over them." said Madame Pomphrey.

Hermione knew she was fighting a losing battle so she avenged herself by saying, "then could we stay until Mrs. Weasley gets here? Please Madame Pomphrey?"

She looked from Hermione to Ron and saw how worried they were, she sighed and said "Alright, you can stay until then but as soon as your mum gets here Mr. Weasley you and Miss Granger must leave. I'll be watching for her so don't think that you can trick her into staying." she warned.

They mumbled "Yes Ma'am" and took their places by Harry's and Ginny's beds. Ron next to his sister and Hermione to Harry. Ron and Hermione once again held hands with each other and one of each of their friends so they were all connected. When Mrs. Weasley showed up a few minutes later, she and Madame Pomphrey shooed them out and to their beds.

Back in Dumbledore's office Professor McGonagall was pacing back and forth thinking to herself... _Why is Albus taking so long?_ She and Professor Helixa had gotten Neville to his office fifteen minutes ago and she was anxious. Professor Helixa offered to stay with Neville but McGonagall had told her no, after all Neville was in her house, and ultimately her responsibility.

She did not un-stun him so he was slumped in a chair that the Professor's had out her in.

Dumbledore finally walked into his office and before he said anything to McGonagall he went to the fireplace grabbed a bunch of Floo powder threw it in and said "Severus Snape's Living Quarters!" and he stuck his head in. "Severus! Severus come here!" he bellowed into the fireplace. When Snape showed up he said "Do you have any _Veritasarum potion?"_ he asked.

Snape inclined his head and said "Yes, Headmaster."

"Good" said Dumbledore, "come to my office and bring a vial with you!" and without waiting for a response he then bellowed, "Number 12 Grimmauld Place Kitchen!" and he felt his head swirling again and hoped that Remus would be there.

Remus wasn't in there but he saw Tonks, she was taking a drink of water and having some food in between her shifts. "Tonks!" he shouted she started and spilled a bit of her water when she heard Dumbledore's voice.

"WOTCHER Albus! You startled me!" said Tonks.

Dumbledore told her to get Remus; she went without question to get him. Shortly she returned with Remus looking dazed, like he had been woken up, as soon as he saw Dumbledore his eyes cleared and he asked "Is something wrong with Harry?"

Dumbledore said, "Remus get to my office immediately as soon as I pull my head out!"

Remus nodded and said "Yes sir!" and Dumbledore pulled his head out and an instant later the fireplace lit up again and Remus came through. At the same time Dumbledore's office door opened and in came Snape with a vial of clear liquid.


	6. Chapter 6: Polyjuice and Neville

_**CHAPTER SIX: POLYJUICE POTION AND NEVILLE**_

When everyone was assembled in Dumbledore's office he began. "Remus, Severus, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were attacked earlier tonight in the Hospital Wing by this boy." said Dumbledore swiping a hand towards the still figure of Neville. Their gaze followed Dumbledore's hand.

"Longbottom?! Neville?!" They asked together in surprise.

"That can't be! Neville's always been kind to them and a good friend; he's helped them out of some predicaments!" Remus added.

Severus looked at Remus and sneered at him, "Sound familiar Remus?" he said, after all these years and being in the Order together they still loathed one another.

Remus glared back at him and started to speak, but Dumbledore interjected. "That is enough malice! You two are on the same side, now act like it!" he roared at them. He was getting too old to play referee. Remus and Snape looked startled but kept quiet.

"Now to get back to why I called you here, we need to un-stun Neville and determine whether he has or has not gone over to the dark side. He might've been under the _Imperious Curse_ or it may not even be him." continued Dumbledore.

Dumbledore took out his wand and trained it on Neville, Remus and Severus followed suite. Dumbledore spoke to Professor McGonagall, "Minerva, kindly un-stun Neville for us," said Dumbledore cool and calm.

"Yes sir," she said she then trained her wand on Neville and said _"Ennervate!"_ Neville woke up and coward at having four wands pointed at him.

"P-Professors? What happened?" Neville asked.

"We could ask you the same question Nev..." Remus broke off as Neville's appearance started to change.

The Professor's and Remus were so taken aback that at first no one did anything, then just as the new person began to move so he could leave Severus jumped at him and clamped a hand down on his form.

He tried to struggle out of Snape's grasp but Professor Dumbledore's voice broke in and said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you _Mr. Vance!"_ He knew it was hopeless so he stopped struggling. **STUPEFY!!** Dumbledore shouted and Landon went limp once again.

Snape still had not let go of Landon so Professor Dumbledore said, "Severus let him go, he can't leave now, and please give him some _"Veritasarum"_ Snape did as he was told and dropped three drops of the potion onto Landon's tongue. When that was done Dumbledore said _"Ennervate"_ and the boy came alive again, he was in a stupor, but none of the wizards or witch lowered their wands on him.

Dumbledore began, "Are you really Landon Vance?"

"Yes" said the voice flatly.

"You were just suspended this morning, how did you get a hold of the _Polyjuice Potion?_ it takes a month to brew."

"It was in my dorm room on my bed when I went up there to pack."

"Was it there when you left this morning?"

"No."

"Who gave it to you?"

"I don't know."

"Why did you take the potion that just showed up on your bed and not knowing who gave it to you?"

"Because of what the card said."

"What card?"

"The card that was next to the Potion"

"And what did the card say?"

"It said 'take this potion, it will enable you to speak to Ginny Weasley without getting into trouble.'"

"Was that all it said?"

"Yes."

"Did you know it was _Polyjuice?"_

"Yes."

"So were you not surprised when you took on another form?"

"No."

"So you took the potion, and turned into Neville, do you know what happened to the real Neville?" continued Dumbledore.

"No"

"And you still did nothing to alert anyone? Why?

"No, and I told you I wanted to talk to Ginny."

"What's so special about Ginny Weasley?"

Landon smiled, "She's beautiful, she' everything, and I know that she would do anything for Potter and Potter would do anything for her."

Dumbledore changed topics. "Landon, do you work for Lord Voldemort?"

"Yes, but today was my first day."

"Did you find the potion on your bed before or after you started working for him."

"After, when Albus Dumbledore suspended me, I did not go up to my dorm right away. I went into the Forbidden Forest so I could think without being seen."

"And what happened once you were in the forest?"

"A pair of hands grabbed me from behind, and told me not to yell, and if I did what they said then my reward would be Lord Voldemort would make Ginny Weasley mine."

"And so you didn't yell, because you wanted Ginny Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Landon, when your kidnapper took you to Lord Voldemort what did Lord Voldemort tell you?"

Landon smiled again, "He told me that soon the battle between **GOOD **power and **ALL **power would be at hand. If I wanted to be a winner and to get Ginny Weasley to like me then I needed to fight for the **ALL **power side."

"So you agreed?"

"Yes"

Dumbledore could see that the Veritasarum potion will be wearing off soon and he wasn't done questioning Landon. He nodded at Snape and he administered more potion to Landon.

"Landon, where was Lord Voldemort's meeting place?"

"In a house built in the middle of the forest, I think it belonged to a giant, but he wasn't there when My Lord was there."

"Landon who pulled you into the Forbidden Forest?"

"A small man with a silver hand."

Albus, Remus, Severus and Minerva looked at each other alarmed, Voldemort was so near to the school and Peter Pettigrew grabbed one of the students, somehow Voldemort was able to get around the charms and spells that surrounded this castle and the forest.

Dumbledore continued, knowing time was short with the truth potion, once administered more than once it was not as strong as the first time, he needed to finish his questioning of Landon and fast.

"Landon, did the small man with the silver hand OR Lord Voldemort say anything else to you, or each other, or his Death Eaters?"

"Yes"

"Who was that person and what did he say?"

My Lord told the small man to 'Prepare the Death Eaters Wormtail, before Halloween we will strike.'"

"Landon why did you attack Ginny Weasley in the Hospital Wing if you cared for her?"

"I only wanted to talk to her, but not anywhere near where Potter was, I tried to move her without waking her up but she did. She was so scared that she screamed and threw something at me. That's when I grabbed her by her ankles and tried pulling her off the bed. She screamed for Potter and that was when he woke up. He jumped on my back and tried to hurt me by putting his hands around my neck. I managed to throw him off of me but he had given Ginny enough time to get her wand and stun me."

"Why did Harry not use his wand?"

"I took Potter's glasses off his face before I went to Ginny, and then I stowed his robes under a nearby bed so he couldn't get to his wand."

"Landon, why didn't you use your wand on Harry or Ginny?"

"I didn't want to hurt Ginny, as for Potter I didn't think he'd be a threat. So when he jumped me from behind and I threw him I tried to get my wand, but as I said before Ginny stunned me first."

**"STUPEFY!!"** shouted Dumbledore without warning, and Landon once again became rigid.

"Minerva, get in contact with Landon's parents, tell them what happened and why we did what we did. Then take him to St. Mungos to have them put a very strong memory charm on him," he looked at Landon's forearm. "He hasn't got the dark mark yet; maybe we can still save him. If we can he will have to be heavily guarded at his house, he is still suspended."

"Yes sir," she said and jinxed Landon to float behind her. She went to the fireplace took some Floo powder and said "St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries!" and they were gone.

"What do we do now Headmaster?" asked Snape.

Dumbledore went to his cabinet to pull out both the gold bowl and the Pensieve. "We have to know what happened to the real Neville, is he still here at the castle or did they take him. I hope he is here, otherwise Voldemort will have further uses for Neville I'm afraid. We have to find him and we have to find him fast!"

"Albus, how did Voldemort know about Landon's weakness for Ginny?" asked Remus.

"Remus, the only thing I can think of is that there is at least one or more students and/or teachers that are working undercover for Voldemort. When he first came back when Harry was fourteen I put more charms on the castle, but somehow, someway he has figured out a way to get through them.

"Is there no way we can screen all the students?" asked Remus.

Dumbledore sighed, "No not without bringing attention to the mole and eventually Voldemort."

"Headmaster, what if we just talked to the students who have vendetta's against Potter and his friends?" asked Severus.

"No, that won't work either, we have no idea how many people that there actually is who have something against them."

"We'll just have to continue watching Harry and his friends, especially Ginny a lot closer then we already have been." Dumbledore finished.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_When Mrs. Weasley showed up a few minutes later, she and Madame Pomphrey shooed them out and to their beds.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

When morning came, Hermione and Ron dragged themselves out of their beds and got ready for the day. They wanted to go see Ginny and Harry before classes started so they just grabbed some toast and headed to the Hospital Wing.

Mrs. Weasley was there and she was dozing slightly, when Ron said "Mum?" she woke up and smiled a bit.

"No change in either of them yet." she said sadly and smoothed unseen wrinkles on Ginny's bed sheet. "You two better hurry off to class we'll all still be here when you're done." She stood up and kissed both Hermione and Ron on their cheeks and sent them away.

It seemed as though all their teachers were informed of the long night they had had last night and didn't pressure them too much to answer questions and Professor Flitwick didn't even mind when Ron dozed off for a moment. Normally that would cause their house points.

Their day was going well that is until they reached Double Potions, this is the class that they had been dreading. Their dread it came to be was not unfounded at all.

Double Potions were Ron and Hermione's last class for the day. They took their normal seats in Snape's class, and waited for him to start.

Professor Snape started class promptly at 4pm and would take them to 5:30. He started the way he always does, the candles flames flickered lower then they already were, and he put the instructions and the ingredients on the many boards surrounding the dark room that they would need for the potion today.

Snape turned towards the class and started explaining. "Today class we will be working on a potion that will most definitely be on your N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the year. This potion is called the _Suncolorisien_ potion, otherwise known as the _Camouflage_ potion. Aurors use this potion frequently when they do not want to be noticed or lead their targets into suspicion. He paused and his eyes lingered very shortly to the seat where Harry usually sat, Hermione and Ron could have sworn a small, quick smile played on his lips briefly.

They looked at each other briefly and knew that Harry should be here for this lesson. "It is very like the _Disillusionment_ Charm but with a subtle but important difference, can anyone tell me what that difference is?"

When no one answered he continued, "the potion not only disguises the Auror but also has the ability to change its surroundings. Such as if you want a dark night but its daylight a sprinkle of this potion on the ground will change the surroundings temporarily to night. Most of the enemies the Aurors fight or catch come out at night. So it is very useful. If you however just want to change yourself, two drops of this on your hand will do the trick," finished Snape.

When no one had any questions and all were silent, Snape once again spoke. "The instructions and ingredients are as you see on the board; you have 45 minutes to complete this potion. If you have done it right..." Snape glared over at Neville, "then the potion should be a dark, midnight blue. You may begin." and Snape sat down at his desk and the students started writing or gathering their ingredients.

While Hermione started meticulously writing down the instructions and ingredients Ron went to the cupboard and gathered the ingredients, enough for himself, Hermione and Harry.

"And what," said a silky smooth voice from behind Ron. "Do you think you are doing?" it finished.

Ron turned around to look at Snape, "I'm collecting the ingredients for the potion for myself, Hermione and Harry _Professor_" said Ron.

Professor Snape sneered, "I don't see Potter here Weasley, I just see you and Granger." Ron heard a snicker behind him, he looked and he saw Malfoy silently laughing at Ron as Snape reprimanded him. "Now kindly put 1/3 of those ingredients away and take only enough for you and Granger."

"But Professor!" exclaimed Ron.

"Are you arguing with me? Five points from Gryffindor, now do as I say or I will make it ten more points from Gryffindor!" and with a sweep of his black robes he turned and went back to his desk.

Ron angrily put away Harry's part of the ingredients all the while aware that Snape was still watching him even from his desk. When he got back to his and Hermione's table he set the ingredients down with a huff.

Hermione looked calmly at him then the ingredients and she said to Ron "Where's Harry's ingredients?"

Ron growled when he responded, _"He"_ jabbing a finger in Snape's direction "did not allow me to take Harry's share, and he took five points with us!" Ron finished in a low roar.

Hermione gasped, "Surely he knows why Harry isn't here!"

"Of course he knows but he doesn't care that horrible git! You know how he loathes Harry, he takes pleasure in Harry's pain," Ron exploded again quietly.

"RON!" hissed Hermione.

"Hermione you know its true!" said Ron

Her eyes narrowed and she said, "Surely by now you would think he could stand Harry and at least treat him fair."

Ron snorted.

She glared at him, "Let's just get this done and get out of here, maybe Dumbledore can override Snape's decision just this once." They got down to work so they could finish the potion on time.

Back in the Hospital Wing Ginny woke up to cool hands wiping her face with a washcloth. She looked up and saw her mother and smiled at her.

She said hello to her mother and then tried to sit up to see Harry, but Mrs. Weasley pushed her back down. "There there child, you've been through an awful ordeal, I want you to relax." Ginny opened her mouth in protest but her mother "shushed" her. "He still has not woken up dear, but he's doing fine."

Ginny had to settle for that, "Mum? Who attacked me and why?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not the right person to tell you that Ginny dear." said Mrs. Weasley.

"Can I see Harry? Please?" she pleaded.

Mrs. Weasley sighed; she was finished with rinsing her face. "I will prop you up on your pillows, but I will not allow you to get out of bed!" she said.

"Yes mum," Ginny replied meekly, and her mother propped her up.

Ginny looked over and gasped Harry had purple gunk over his scar and on his neck. His face was pale and his eyes were closed, but Ginny could see hoe much pain he was in.

She looked at her mother and said, "Mum? Are you sure he's alright? He looks pale and in pain."

"Ginny, he was thrown into a wall and knocked unconscious, and to top that off according to Madame Pomphrey he needs to eat and he hasn't had a lot of sleep lately, so yes he's fine but he could be a lot better." She was worried about Harry too, but she would never tell Ginny that and cause her more guilt and sadness then she already felt.

Ginny again looked at Harry sadly and clutched her mother's hand. She looked back at her mother and said "Mum, I love him."

Mrs. Weasley stroked Ginny's hand and said "I know dear, I have for awhile, mothers have a knack for knowing you know."

Silently they both turned back to Harry keeping a silent vigil on him.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"We have to know what happened to the real Neville, is he still here at the castle or did they take him. I hope he is here, otherwise Voldemort will have further uses for Neville I'm afraid. We have to find him and we have to find him fast!"   
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Dumbledore paced back and forth in his office waiting for further word on Neville, the search last night (Sunday) didn't turn up anything, as time was going by Dumbledore's worry was increasing. His office door opened and in came Professor McGonagall with the real Neville Longbottom whom it appeared had been in a deep sleep, he now looked back at Dumbledore a vacant stupid look in his eyes.

"He was in a deep sleep hidden under some tables in a greenhouse that is rarely used except for Professor Sprout, when she needs to mix herbs for potions." Professor McGonagall answered Dumbledore's unasked question." Apparently Neville has been helping Professor Sprout on occasion."

"Was she the one who found him Minerva?" he asked.

She nodded her head "When we found out that Vance was impersonating Longbottom we alerted all the teachers. Professor Sprout didn't think of that particular greenhouse until today."

"Why not?"

"She said it was because she hadn't been in there at all over the weekend, then later she remembered that Longbottom wanted to mix up some herbs for Madame Pomphrey." Said McGonagall

"Sit him down in this chair Minerva," Dumbledore said, she sat him down in the chair and he then proceeded to ask her to go to Madame Pomphrey and ask her for some pepper up potion. Minerva went and did as she was bid and Dumbledore pulled up a chair and sat it front of Neville, and he waited.

Professor McGonagall was in such a rush to do as she was told she flew past Ginny and Mrs. Weasley and told Madame Pomphrey what she needed, when she was given it and she turned around that was when she noticed them. She saw that Ginny was sitting up and she was relieved.

"Ginny! Mrs. Weasley! I am so happy that you are up now, you gave us quite a scare last night," And she hurried out without waiting for a reply.

"What was that about mum?" asked Ginny quizzically; Mrs. Weasley shook her head showing she didn't know as they watched Professor McGonagall's quickly retrieving back.

The doors had only just swung shut when they opened again and admitted Hermione, Ron, and Persephone carrying Ginny and Harry's school books and homework.

"Mum, I'm so glad you're still here!" said Ron when he saw Mrs. Weasley. She stood up and gave both Ron and Hermione a hug. Persephone stood back and watched this quietly.

Ron and Hermione looked past her to see Ginny, and saw she was awake. "Ginny! We're so glad that you're awake! And Harry?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Ginny sadly shook her head and looked over to his bed, he still had not moved.

Just then Ginny realized that Persephone was there standing quietly in the background, not sure whether she should come forward or not. "Persephone! I'm so glad to see you! I'm sorry I didn't say hi before, come here, and meet my mum." Ginny urged the shy girl.

Persephone smiled "That's okay Ginny I know you're worried about Harry, we all are." She headed forward looking shyly at Mrs. Weasley. "I brought Ginny her homework all the instructions are written out for her." She said to Mrs. Weasley.

She handed Mrs. Weasley Ginny's books as the older woman held out her hands, she then went over to Ginny's bed, and gave her a slight hug. "I hope you get better soon, we all miss you." said Persephone.

Ginny smiled at Persephone kindly. Persephone was rather shy and out of her fellow sixth year Gryffindors she liked Persephone the best. She put a hand on Persephone's shoulder and said "Persephone, I'd like for you to meet my mum, Molly Weasley, mum, this is Persephone."

Persephone shyly held out her hand to Mrs. Weasley, "It's so nice to meet you Mrs. Weasley, Ginny is such a sweet and friendly person." she said and smiled.

Ginny blushed "Persephone!" she said but there was a smile on her face.

Mrs. Weasley ignored Persephone's hand and pulled her gently into a hug to. "Thank you Persephone for taking Ginny her homework, that is so thoughtful of you." She let go of her and everyone could see a blush creeping up Persephone's face, but she had a big smile on her face.

Ginny giggled, "Don't worry Persephone you'll get used to my mum's hugs," and she giggled again.

"Yeah, you sure do," said a quiet, weak voice next to Ginny.

They all looked over and screamed "HARRY!"


	7. Chapter 7: His Dream

_**CHAPTER SEVEN: HIS DREAM**_

"Oh Harry! You're awake! Exclaimed Mrs. Weasley looking like she was going to bust with relief and happiness. Mrs. Weasley abandoned her daughters bedside long enough to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. "We were all so worried about you, you were so brave to try and save Ginny."

When she said Ginny's name his eyes flew open, "Ginny! Is she okay?!" he exclaimed.

"I'm fine Harry, how about you?" Ginny piped up from her bed before her mother could answer for her. Mrs. Weasley moved away from Harry so he could see her for himself.

Harry smiled a bit when he saw that she was okay. "I'm in a lot of pain honestly," he said, her face fell when he said that.

"I'm so sorry about last night," she said.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault you were attacked, I'm just glad that you're okay." Harry said, then dizziness overcame Harry once again and he laid back and went back to sleep.

"Mrs. Weasley? What happened? Harry was awake and acting fine and now he's out cold again." asked Persephone.

Mrs. Weasley fussed over Harry's blanket for a moment before answering. "He's been through a lot in a short amount of time; his body needs time and sleep to regenerate itself."

She looked back at Ginny and she saw that Ginny's eyes had filled. "Don't you do that Ginevra Molly Weasley! Don't you go feeling sorry for yourself, or blaming yourself, he doesn't blame you," she said her hand sweeping back at Harry.

Ginny bit back her tears and all of the sudden she felt very sleepy, her mother saw this and quietly as Ginny's eyes closed she told the others to leave. They left promising to try to check back later tonight.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Sit him down in this chair Minerva," Dumbledore said, she sat him down in the chair and he then proceeded to ask her to go to Madame Pomphrey and ask her for some pepper up potion. Minerva went and did as she was bid and Dumbledore pulled up a chair and sat it front of Neville, and he waited.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

When Professor McGonagall came back with the pepper up potion she put a few drops on Neville's tongue and immediately he perked up.

"Hello Neville," said Dumbledore softly.

"Lo" said Neville.

"Can you tell Professor McGonagall and myself why you happened to be knocked out in one of the Greenhouses?" Asked Dumbledore gently.

Neville's eyes took on immediate fear when he asked that question. "NO! They told me if I did something would happen to my friends!"

Dumbledore leaned forward, "Neville, something bad has already happened to two of your friends."

"Who?"

"Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley."

Neville's eyes went huge as saucers when he heard that and fear was very apparent in them. "Are they okay?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper.

"Ginny is but as far as Harry, he has yet to regain consciousness." said Dumbledore after confirming it with Professor McGonagall. She nodded her head in confirmation so Dumbledore continued. "Will you tell us now Neville what has happened? He prodded quietly.

Neville swallowed hard and slowly nodded his head.

"Take your time Neville." said Dumbledore knowing full well that Neville was very scared.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, and he appeared to be thinking about where to start. Finally he took a deep breath and started.

"I was in the Greenhouse where Professor Sprout usually works when she mixes herbs up for potions, usually for Madame Pomphrey or Professor Snape. She lets me work beside her sometimes because she knows I'm studying to be a healer and I need to know my potions, sometimes she even entrusts me to mix together some of the more simple herbs and such for potions without her being there." He stopped and smiled, he was proud of himself and he should be so says Professor Sprout many a time.

"Madame Pomphrey asked Professor Sprout to mix some herbs for her for her _Light Sleep Draught_ potion last week and Professor Sprout said she would do it for her, but she became very busy so she asked me if I would like to mix the herbs myself, I eagerly agreed, but I told her, then later Madame Pomphrey that it would take awhile before it was done because I had to fit it in around school and homework, they both said it was fine and I told them I would have it done by this Tuesday, tomorrow now." He paused again and Dumbledore saw that this is where it was going to get difficult.

Neville slowly drew in another breath and pushed it out through pursed lips. "On Sunday after lunch I went to the Greenhouse to complete the mix. I had been working on gathering the herbs throughout the week and now was the day for me to finish. I saw nothing out of the ordinary for awhile until Harry, Ron and Hermione were heading down to Hagrid's hut. Nothing new there, but the reason it caught my attention was because Ginny was not with them, I found that odd because Ginny had been with them all last week except for when classes were going on." he stopped for another minute then continued.

"I wanted to step out and say hi to them but just as I was about to call out something else caught my eye. I saw someone walking alone near the Forbidden Forest, he was too far for me to see who he was but I knew it was a he. He got about halfway around the perimeter of the Forest and then some hands shot out and grabbed him and yanked him into the Forest, I started to go and see if I could find anyone to help after all like I said Harry and his friends were just at Hagrid's, but wasn't able to make more then a few steps before a pair of hands grabbed me too, and yanked me back into the greenhouse."

"Before I could scream another pair of hands clamped over my mouth and the first person yanked a bunch of hair's out of my head, it hurt terribly. Then the person who was clamping their hands around my mouth told me that if I told anyone especially Dumbledore something would happen to my friends. Then they knocked me down against a table and I remember nothing until Professor's Sprout and McGonagall were hovering over me waking me up, and taking me here." Neville finished.

"Neville, I need you to think very hard and carefully, did you recognize anyone? Do you remember anything about the person in the forest or the people attacking you? Did you recognize a voice? Asked Dumbledore urgently.

Professor McGonagall shot Dumbledore a look that clearly said "_are you forgetting that you are asking possibly the most forgetful boy or wizard ever?"_ She never said these words aloud though.

Neville screwed up apparently trying to think very hard about anything else. "The person who took that boy into the woods had one regular hand and one silver hand, I remember that. The person who spoke to me had a very smooth, silky voice. And the one I'm not sure which one but he had a strand of almost white hair peeking out of his hood."

Dumbledore and McGonagall gave each other very meaningful looks over Neville's head, and then Dumbledore said, "Thank you Neville, you have been most helpful."

"I have?" he asked shocked.

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Yes, you have, now off with you but be careful."

"Yes sir," and Neville bounced out of his chair nearly skipping with excitement, he had been helpful! He remembered important things!

That night at dinner Ron and Hermione were surprised that Professor McGonagall walked up to them and handed them a note. It read...

_Ron and Hermione,  
We found out that Neville was being impersonated.   
The Neville that is sitting with you at the table is the real one.  
We've already told your mum Ron so don't worry about telling Harry and Ginny.  
DD_

They looked a ways down toward where Neville was sitting with Dean, Seamus, Parvati and Lavender. He was talking, laughing and eating with them.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief, "I knew it couldn't've been Neville, he would never turn on us, Ginny or Harry."

Hermione and Ron felt that a huge burden was lifted off their shoulders. Ron and Hermione went to the Hospital Wing after dinner to see about Harry and Ginny. They found Ginny awake and arguing with Mrs. Weasley about something.

She was so happy to see them, "Hermione, big brother can you please tell mum and Madame Pomphrey that I'm well enough to go back to classes tomorrow, PLEASE? She pleaded with them.

They looked form Ginny's pleading face to Mrs. Weasley determined one. "Sorry Ginny, I wouldn't want to risk mum's wrath." said Ron.

Ginny glared at him and then turned pleading eyes on Hermione, "Hermione?"

Hermione splayed her hands out helplessly, "I'm going to have to agree with Ron, sorry Ginny," she said apologetically.

Ginny, "humphed" and crossed her arms angrily across her chest. She looked so much like Mrs. Weasley always does when they're in trouble that Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Ron laughed. "What?" asked Ginny angrily, that caused them to laugh harder. They heard Ginny murmur "mental" under her breath as they continued laughing.

After they had a good laugh Hermione and Ron looked over at Harry's bed. Ginny read their minds, "He hasn't woken up since the last time when you were here," she sad sadly.

Hermione and Ron stayed as long as they could and then when curfew was approaching they said goodnight to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny and headed back hand and hand to the common room.

Mrs. Weasley stayed with Ginny a little longer then she looked at her watch and saw it was 11 at night, she looked at Ginny and asked. "Will you be okay in here tonight by yourself? I really should go home tonight and be with your father."

"I'll be fine mum, I'm well and now that whoever attacked me is gone Hogwarts is still the safest place for me." Said Ginny, she was actually kind of excited to be alone, she wouldn't dare tell her mother though, she loved her mum very much, but she wanted to be on her own.

Mrs. Weasley looked doubtful a minute so Ginny took her hands and looked lovingly at her mother, "Mum, honest, I'll be fine, Madame Pomphrey is right there in the adjoining room and I'm sure Professor Dumbledore has his own way to look in on us."

"We-ell if you're sure," said Mrs. Weasley hesitantly. Ginny smiled and kissed her mother. "Alright, I'll use the Fireplace in Madame Pomphrey's room. That way I can tell her I'm leaving. She hugged and kissed Ginny and whispered, "I love you, my Ginny."

Ginny's eyes stung and she whispered back, "I love you to mum, and thank you for everything." She watched her mother get up and walk to the room.

Ginny and her mother always had a special bond, perhaps it was because she was the only girl of seven kids, or because she was the baby, or both. She lay back on her pillows after her mother disappeared.

She sighed, finally she was alone she was thinking to herself. Well she corrected herself, not completely alone, and she turned her head towards Harry, and watched him sleep. _"I hope he gets better soon, I'm so worried about him, everyone is."_

She looked at Harry's face for a little bit longer, and then she lowered her pillows, turned on her side and fell asleep, dreaming about Harry, and how one day she hoped they would be together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not so far away now, Voldemort and his Death Eaters were starting to assemble to prepare for their first conquest over Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and Hogwarts.

"Severus" said a harsh, high-pitched voice.

A dark cloaked and hooded figure stepped forward. "Yes, my Lord?" he asked, his normal silky, smooth voice was cool and reserved.

"What can you tell me of the status of Potter and Dumbledore?" Voldemort asked.

"Dumbledore has found Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter is still in the Hospital Wing unconscious, and his precious Weasley is awake and well." said Snape's cool, reserved voice.

"Not for long though!" and Voldemort let out a harsh, humorless laugh, and Snape joined him.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Dumbledore's office, an alarm sounded to alert him. He took out his golden bowl and viewed its contents grimly.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginny didn't know what awoke her, or for how long she was sleeping, but when she was startled awake, it was black as pitch, so she knew it was either very late or very early. She tried to find the source of the sound that had awoken her but couldn't see anything. She heard it again; it was a kind of crying or moaning.

She looked over at Harry's bed and saw that he was starting to thrash around. His moans escalated a little louder and words were starting to form.

She opened her mouth to say something when Harry cried out "Mum! Dad! Don't go!" Ginny was confused he had never said those words he was only one year when they died.

"Harry! Harry, wake up, you're having a nightmare" said Ginny urgently. When he wouldn't wake up she quietly got out of bed hoping that Madame Pomphrey didn't hear Harry, or herself. She went to his bed and started to speak again. But before she could say anything he cried out again.

"Mum! Dad! Don't leave me again to fight him alone! Come back, please come back!" he cried out, a few tears leaking from his eyes.

Ginny shook Harry awake, **"HARRY! WAKE UP!** You're having a bad dream! Wake up!" she said louder this time more urgently. Harry's green eyes shot open and he grabbed Ginny around the neck and pulled her into a hug and he just sobbed.

Ginny tried to "shush" him and since he was holding her down she awkwardly tried to pat his back all the while cooing to him. She managed to pull him up into a sitting position, and she gently rubbed his back with one hand and lightly caressed his face with her other hand. Softly, gently, and quietly she held him and said over and over again, "SHHH, Harry, it was just a bad dream, I'm here now, it was only a bad dream." Finally Harry's sobs quieted down but his whole body still trembling. Ginny just continued to hold him and say those words over and over again.

Harry cried for a few minutes longer on Ginny's shoulders, and then he realized what he was doing and pulled back, ferociously wiping the tears off his face. He couldn't have been more horrified with himself then he was right now. He cried in front of someone, and that someone in particular Ginny, the one he never wanted to be seen crying in front of. The last time he had cried like that in front of Ginny was when he and Parvati had broken up. He was embarrassed then to and he promised himself to never let him see her cry like that again.

Ginny was startled that Harry pulled away so suddenly, and he had looked away. _"Why doesn't he want me to see him cry? I have before."_ she thought sadly to herself. When she had seen him cry before she had been happy, not because he and Parvati were finally over with but because she had seen a different side of him which she felt privileged to see since she knew not even Ron and Hermione had seen him cry. That had been Harry's softer side, instead of his all together side which he fronted on a daily basis. She had also seen his brave side, the one she was sure he used every time he fought Voldemort. She tried to figure out how she could tell him that it was okay to cry in front of her, but she couldn't find the right words.

When she didn't say anything Harry got angry, not at her though but at himself, _"Strike one for Harry"_ he thought and _"Score one for Landon"_ He wasn't angry at Ginny but he took it out on her by saying through clenched teeth, "Look I'm sorry I cried on you okay? I'll never do it again."

Ginny felt like she had been slapped in the face and hit in the stomach at his cold words. Tears stung her eyes and the wind was knocked out of her for second. She took a look at his face and saw he was embarrassed and angry, but his eyes told her that he was not angry at her, but he was angry at himself.

She took Harry's hands in hers and he tried to pull away, she wouldn't let him, quietly she said, "Harry, Harry look at me," when he didn't look at here she did exactly the same thing that Hermione had done to her not long ago. She took one of her hands away from his and firmly placed it on his chin she then turned his head towards her. He tried to wrench his chin out of her hands but just as she wouldn't let his hands go, she didn't let his chin go either.

She fixed her soft, chocolate eyes on his angry green ones and said, "Why are you so angry?"

He continued to look at her but said nothing.

"Harry, I'm glad you cried, you don't have to be embarrassed about it in front of me, I feel honored being the one you showed your feelings to." She told him and Harry could tell she meant it. She still hadn't let go of his chin, "Now, do you want to tell me what you dreamed about? Maybe telling me will help you." She finished.

Harry felt his reserve melt, Ginny wasn't going to laugh at him he could see it in her eyes, she would understand him. Harry took her hand that was still grasping his chin and gently placed it with her other hand on his lap and held them tight. Slowly he took a breath and began.

"I was dreaming about my mum and dad," he stopped to make sure she was going to laugh or think he was crazy. All he saw was quiet understanding in her soft, dark eyes. He almost drowned in them, but he shook himself and continued. "I was in a dark place and the only light that I had came from a dull white glow further down in this place. Slowly the white light came closer to me and two figures emerged, bathed in pale pink light, one had long hair, and the other had messy hair, I knew they were my parents. They came into my view with smiles on their faces." Harry stopped forbidding his eyes to leak out his sadness.

"I ran to them and gave them both a hug, they hugged me back smiling, and then their expressions sobered, and I knew that whatever they were here for it was not good news." Ginny noticed that Harry's face had gone blank and his eyes vacant, she knew he was re-living the dream right in front of her and not just telling it. "My Dad said_ 'Harry, we know you are angry and hurt that we weren't there for you while you grew up, we had to leave you that night in order for you to grow up the way you have, and we're so proud of the man you have become. We didn't want to leave you, that's why we appointed a Secret Keeper, so you wouldn't have to grow up without us, but as you know, we were betrayed.'"_

"My dad stopped talking and my mum brushed a tear out of her eye. Then my dad continued. _'We had to leave you physically that night, but we never left you where it counted the most, we never left your heart. We were able to come back now only because we need to warn you'_"

Harry's voice cracked at the end of this statement, his eyes threatened to fill again but he bravely fought them back and continued. "I said _'warn me?'_ Then my mum spoke her voice sounded like soft music to me, almost like a phoenix song"

_"Yes Harry, warn you. The Dark Lords vengeance is very real he will be coming for you before the end of October. He will strike out and take whom you care the most for, and turn her over to her worst enemy to do what he pleases with her. Her enemy and the Dark Lord know you will do anything to save her. Take caution my love, we must leave now."_

"I saw tears glistening in my mum's eyes, my dad took her hand and slowly they started walking back into the white light, the pink surrounding them slowly faded to white. I was calling for my mum and dad to come back when you awoke me." Harry looked up at Ginny and saw her eyes were filled with tears. "Ginny? Why are you crying?" he asked wiping a stray tear that betrayed her off of her face.

Ginny took her hands out of his and wiped more tears from her face. "It's just so sad Harry, your dream, and it's sad that you never knew them." She cried burying her face in her hands. She couldn't, wouldn't dare tell Harry what else made her cry.

"There's more, isn't there Ginny?" asked Harry, clearly seeing distress in her beautiful eyes.

Ginny wiped a few more tears away and bravely shook her head. "No Harry, there isn't more." she said.

Harry took her hands back and held them fast to his heart. He said the same thing to Ginny that she had said to him. "Ginny, look at me," she took a deep breath and let it out before she looked at him. With his green eyes, fixed on her soft, tear-filled brown ones he said, "Ginny, what my mum said, _the one I care for the most..." _he trailed off, then "is you."

Stunned silence filled the already quiet infirmary after Harry's revelation, when Ginny didn't say anything he got nervous and tripped over his next words. "I...uh...I...know that you...er...like Landon now...but...I n-needed t-to tell...you...so you." The rest of Harry's words were cut off when Ginny leaned down and kissed his lips softly but firmly. "Would be ready." Harry finished his words after she pulled away. He smiled the first real smile he has truly had since coming to Hogwarts, three weeks ago.

"Do you have any idea how long I've waited to do that?" asked Ginny. She didn't get a chance to tell him because Harry pulled her tenderly to him and he kissed her softly.

When he pulled away from her he could see a soft flush of happiness creeping up her already beautiful face, the flush just enhanced it. "I don't know how long you've been waiting, anymore than I know I actually...er...cared for you." He almost let it slip out that he loved her, but he didn't want to scare her away.

He sobered instantly, "Ginny, what about Landon? I thought that for sure after he well, you two shared that kiss that you were his." he said carefully.

"Ginny's flush paled, she realized that he had actually taken Landon seriously. "Harry, there was **NEVER** anything between us, he wanted it, and I didn't" she said.

Relief flooded all through his body and showed through on his face and he smiled. "But what about your heart belonging to someone?" he asked fearfully, his smile vanishing.

Ginny took her hand and propped it under his chin and said. "Harry, the person that my heart belongs to is..." this time it was her turn to falter, then "is you, Harry James Potter, it has always belonged to you, you just never wanted it before...or maybe, maybe still you don't want it." Her eyes filled again.

"Don't you dare start crying I couldn't take it!" said Harry and Ginny's tears were replaced by fear. He softened his voce, "Ginny, I want your heart so badly that sometimes it hurts, if you're willing to give it to me, I'll protect it and love it with all my heart and power, I could never let you get hurt."

Ginny had to bite back her tears as she smiled brilliantly. "I will be pleased to give you my heart." she said very softly. Harry smiled hugely and they sealed their love with a kiss.


	8. Chapter 8: The Meeting

_**A/N: This is an extremely short chapter but it's filled with things that you as the reader must know about the Order Members and Landon.**_

_**CHAPTER EIGHT: THE MEETING **_

While Harry and Ginny were repairing the rift between them caused by Landon, he was still currently residing in St. Mungo's. He couldn't remember how he had gotten here or anything else. The healers had performed the strongest memory charm they dared on him, and he was to stay the night.

While he was sleeping his parents who had been beside him the entire time decided to go get some food. They made sure he was completely asleep before they left so he was not to wake before they came back, and when they were sure, they left.

Landon was sleeping soundly when he awoke to a noise, he saw a person next to him and figured it was one of those people that have been beside him all day (He did not remember them right now either), and so he just drifted off to sleep again.

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Back at #12 Grimmauld Place, the Order of the Phoenix was having a meeting about Landon, neither of his parents as far as they knew were for or against Voldemort, so they could still be swayed either way.

Prior to the downfall with Landon the Order members were trying to agree on how they could alert each other faster then the Floo network, since some places like Hogwarts, you could still not Apparate to, even Apparation was slow, they needed a more immediate way, and they had figured one out. It was Professor McGonagall who actually brought it up, she was remembering back to when the DA meetings were still secret when the Ministry had an official there, and she had banned everything. Harry and his DA team carried on in secret almost the entire year without ever being suspected, courteous of Hermione Granger and her cleverness about the Galleons.

When Professor McGonagall broached the subject of having a magically faster way to alert people was to have something charmed to let the **KEY** members know. They all enthusiastically jumped on her idea of having a chain with a pendant that only those members who have seniority (Key) would wear, everyone was too know who and what and where these people were and were to alert them when they found anything out however little or great.

They had agreed as a whole on the pendant's design and that only those Key members were to have it. The pendant's design was then thought out carefully and thoroughly. It would be on a gold chain (because of Lupin), then it would have a lightening bolt going diagonally across from left top to bottom right (courteous of course of Harry), and a Phoenix feather going diagonally down from top right to bottom left (courteous of Dumbledore). The two would intertwine in the middle where the heart of the charm was. The lightening bolt was of handsome yellow topaz and the phoenix feather would be sparkling garnet. When they intertwined in the middle it would be the exact color of Fawkes' feathers.

The incantation would be _FLAMOS!_ And it would only work if the person alerting the members were actually holding the pendant right in the middle. Then the Pendant would get warm against everyone's chest, for it would have to be worn under their robes, and the key people would Apparate to #12. It was the safest place they could Apparate to that allowed Apparition. Only the people who could get away without being noticed would be there, to hear the person's news.

The members that were allowed to wear one were fourteen in total. Professor's Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Helixa. Remus Lupin, Mad-eye Moody, Arthur Weasley (The New Minister, Fudge stepped down), Molly Weasley, Bill Wesley, Charlie Weasley, Fred and George Weasley Bella Wolf (Auror and registered Animagus), Andre Simbala (A Healer) and Chase Green (Ministry Member).

During the particular meeting that was in progress (Landon's meeting) the members finally were able to put on their pendants. Severus Snape was not to know about the pendants either, although he was supposed to be "playing" the double agent, Dumbledore and a few others were getting suspicious of whom his true master was. Therefore he was not a key member, and did not know about the pendants, he didn't even know there was such a thing as key members versus regular members.

"Our ultimate goal is to ultimately protect Harry Potter, Ginny and Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger; these four students are in the most critical danger. Between the four of them they are our strongest and only way to survive Voldemort. We all know that Harry is the one who was marked and will ultimately be the one who has to kill, but because of his strong kinship and friendship with the others, we must protect them as well if not more then Harry himself. If any of these three are hurt or killed then Harry will be blinded by rage to be able to do what he must." said Dumbledore, looking very sober and very serious.

"Arthur, Molly? We need to speak about your daughter Ginny now, would you be comfortable with that?" asked Remus Lupin affectionately. They nodded their heads grimly but put up a brave front. They grasped each other's hands and their sons surrounded them placing a half moon circle around them.

"We know from Landon Vance under the influence of _Veritasarum_ that Ginny is targeted by Voldemort, in order to get to Harry, I have told Harry as well." said Dumbledore.

"That poor boy, hasn't he been through enough?" asked Bella sympathetically, the others murmured their agreement.

"Yes Bella he has, but unfortunately Harry has been marked for sixteen years of his life to fight the ultimate battle for good versus evil. He will have to go through a lot more before he can live normally, if that is allowed. When he defeats Voldemort he will be forever marked the boy who lived and survived Voldemort twice." said Dumbledore grimly.

Harry loves Ginny, and I am sure Ginny loves him back. Ginny will fight to be by his side no matter what we try to do or say to stop her. This puts her in more grave danger then she already is, much more then Harry, he has faced Voldemort on several occasions, he knows what Voldemort and himself is capable of. Ginny never has, she did have to face Tom Riddle, but he was just a memory where as Voldemort is very real." He continued in that same grim voice.

"In order to keep Ginny safe and Harry from dying we are going to have to try to continue one way or the other to sway Ginny from helping Harry. But we must above all else **NEVER** let Harry think that we do not believe in him or his abilities. We have to **SHOW** not just **TELL** him we believe in him, I have already had to do that once.

"I have been forewarned that obstacles real or not will be put in Harry's way of his ultimate task and dream...to defeat Voldemort, and live a normal life. We must keep our eyes and ears peeled and open for anything that may be thrown in his way, so I or one of the Professor's can warn him to be prepared." finished Dumbledore.


	9. Chapter 9: Dasher Tremaine

_**CHAPTER NINE: DASHER TREMAINE**_

It was now the end of the week at Hogwarts and Harry was finally able to leave the Hospital Wing. As Madame Pomphrey predicted that night after Ginny and Harry were attacked, Ginny was released on Wednesday. Ginny had come to see him every spare minute she had. She was finally not afraid to walk the halls anymore alone or be alone in the common room since Landon was suspended, Hermione and Ron had told her that the day she was released. They thought that was a rather harsh punishment for what he did to Ginny but they knew Dumbledore had had his reasons. Besides they weren't complaining, so long as Ginny was safe that's all that mattered to them.

Unfortunately for the Quidditch team they had suffered Landon's absence. They now had to find a new beater, and doubted that they could find a suitable replacement for him. The weekend Harry was released he posted a notice in the common room, for Quidditch try-outs the upcoming weekend.

**ATTENTION GRYFFINDORS, FOURTH YEARS AND UP:**

**THE GRYFFINDOR QUIDDITCH TEAM IS SEEKING ONE NEW BEATER POSITION.**

**TRY-OUTS FOR THE BEATER POSITION WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD ON THE QUIDDITCH FIELD AT 1PM RIGHT AFTER LUNCH.**

**SIGNED: HARRY POTTER; CAPTAIN**

Saturday October 3, came and try-outs were held for the beater position. Harry and the rest of his team were viewing the try-outs together, and the outlook didn't look bright. Not many fourth years came out, most were fifth and up. Among the people trying out were Harry's and Ron's fellow Gryffindor bunk mates Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. They were mediocre at best. But they were also the only ones that looked even remotely promising. Many shied away from the bludgers, or hit them so far off the pitch that it took awhile for them to come back.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Persephone, Alyssa and Terrance were about to vote between Dean and Seamus when they saw a boy rushing out of the castle heading towards the field.

He arrived out of breath with apologies for being late, he had gotten sidetracked with homework and lost track of the time. He said he was in his fifth year. All the members felt sympathy towards him for it was commonly known that the fifth year was the O.W.L. years and teachers typically gave them more homework then usual.

Harry looked at the boy and saw he was roughly the height and weight of Terrance, and he remembered Terrance saying something about a friend who was going to try out for the beater position, he thought, perhaps it was this boy. So he said, "What is your name?"

The boy promptly responded, "My name is Dasher Tremaine, I am a fifth year and friends with Terrance."

"Very, well let's see what you can do." said Harry, Not holding out much hope for this boy after how the try-outs had gone today. He as well as everyone else, except Terrance was flabbergasted at what Dasher could do.

He hit the bludgers full on with amazing accuracy and speed when they flew his way, he never faltered or shied away from them, in fact he seemed to chase after them. He never sent the bludgers too far away from the pitch.

Harry proceeded to send Ginny, Alyssa, and Terrance up with him. Ginny was to be on Dasher's team and Alyssa and Terrance opposing. Harry wanted to see how well he worked with his fellow team player, and against the opponents, and once again he was in awe.

Dasher protected Ginny like a hawk when she had the Quaffle in her hand. When Alyssa had it he aimed right at her and hit hard, (not too hard, she was after all a fellow team player) but hard enough that Harry could see that anyone opposing the Gryffindors were going to get a run for their money. When he hit or blocked a bludgers from or to Terrance his aim was perfect.

Harry knew he had to have Dasher on his team. He shouted above to the players to all come down. When they touched Harry said, "How did you become so good with the Bludgers?" he asked his voice not masking his awe.

"When Terrance was practicing last year to try to join the team he enlisted my help as an opposing beater, chaser or whatever he needed me to do." said Dasher smiling widely.

Ginny took in his looks, Dasher was tall, burly, he had dark brown hair with red-highlights in them that sun played with, his hazel eyes were good and honest and welcoming. When he smiled it made him all the more handsome, she glanced at Persephone and Alyssa, she could tell they were very pleased with his appearance. She, Ginny although she was impressed with his looks and his beater abilities, to her every other guy in the world paled in comparison with her Harry. Silently she took Harry's hand; she knew he wouldn't pull away. He looked down at her and smiled and she right back up to him.

Harry continued fully aware that the girls were enthralled by his looks, but it didn't bother him as long as Ginny didn't fancy him, when she took his hand and he smiled down at her and she back, he could see he had no cause to worry. "I don't remember you trying out last year with Terrance, why didn't you?"

Dasher had seen the exchange between the beautiful red-head Ginny that played with him during try-outs and Harry, but he didn't care, he thought it was sweet. He thought she was pretty enough but he fancied the other girl next to her, with strawberry-blonde hair and almond brown eyes. She was the one who didn't go up in the air with the others.

"I didn't try-out because, you only needed one beater, you already had Landon, and Terrance wanted it more then me, so I let him try-out and cheered him on during try-outs and all through last seasons Quidditch." said Dasher, he looked at his friend and clapped him on the back.

Harry was very impressed with Dasher already and his open warmth to Terrance sealed the deal. He could tell Dasher would be a major asset to the team, more so then Landon ever did or could.

"That was a gesture of a good mate, to do that," he paused before he continued and looked around at his team who all nodded. He continued, "Friendship is valued highly among the Gryffindors and especially my team, now you won't have to cheer Terrance from the sidelines, you can join him and you and he can play together all the time and cheer each other on. I know what its like to have a best mate to cheer you and to be cheered by him." he finished, no one saw the tips of Ron's ears go red and his face flush.

"Really? I made it?!?" exclaimed Dasher happily, when they nodded he shot his hands in the air and said "Alright!" Everyone laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Okay, I booked the Pitch all day so we can have plenty of practice time, our first match is coming up soon and we need practice! We can break in our new beater even more now, with all of us playing, so let's get started!" Harry exclaimed and they all headed to the locker rooms to change into Practice robes.

"We don't have any practice robes for you yet Dasher, but you look like you would be able to fit in Landon's old ones until we can get you your own," said Harry, when they got in the locker room.

Dasher donned Landon's old ones and they fit him fairly well. Once everyone was dressed Harry tapped his wand on the white boards and there were three new plays. "I had thought of these three plays while I was in the hospital last week." Another wave of his wand and the titles of each were shown. The girls squealed in delight when they saw what they were labeled. _"Ginny's Justice, Persephone's Premiere, and Alyssa's Atonement." _The guys on the team just smiled, somewhere in the back of his mind Dasher thought vaguely that Persephone was the name of the girl that didn't go up. Just as the Marauder's map and wizards pictures there were little figures, clearly and visibly showing who they were by their names above the pictures and the pictures were moving doing the maneuvers for these three.

"Study for awhile and then when you think you are ready to try it we'll go out and practice. We'll run Ginny' first since it is the most difficult, and then if we get that one down we will go on to Persephone's" said Harry, and for a few moments the room was silent while all the players studied the maneuvers of themselves and each of the other players. They focused mostly on Ginny's but they studied the other two as well.

When they were ready they headed out to the field, kicked off the ground and began practicing, Harry told his team mates that they would not have time to goof around a bit today, and they understood. Harry prayed that the Slytherins wouldn't come and ruin this practice. With them the last time and Harry being in the hospital and Landon leaving they had not had one practice yet. Fortunately the Slytherins stayed away today and they worked hard on the plays.

They spent all afternoon blissfully enjoying being up in the air; and Dasher was proving himself more and more every minute.

When they finally touched down again on the ground to get ready to go to dinner, they were all very satisfied with the days practice. The team had picked up _Ginny's Justice_ fairly fast for the level of difficulty it was and _Persephone's Premiere_ was picked up even faster.

Although they did well they knew that because of their run of bad luck they were going to need to practice often for they still had to learn _Alyssa's Atonement_ and all the other new plays that Harry had come up with over the summer. They didn't mind though, they all loved Quidditch and loved playing it, so they were willing to work hard at it to succeed. Ginny wanted them to succeed since it was Harry's last year, Harry wanted to succeed for his team and to keep the Quidditch cup in McGonagall's office.

They got ready for dinner and headed to the Great Hall together for dinner. When they arrived Terrance and Dasher split to join their friends, Alyssa did the same, but Persephone stuck close to Ginny. And Harry, Ginny, Ron and Persephone went to find Hermione.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione ate together and talked and laughed throughout the entire meal, Persephone, knowing full well that she was welcome to talk, didn't, she just sat back and listened to their playful banter back and forth and found herself wishing she had friends like that, Ginny was the closest she had. Then as the last of the plates crumbs were clean as if by silent agreement, and after saying goodnight to Persephone, Ginny gave her a hug.

Ron took Hermione's hand and led her upstairs, Harry took Ginny's hand and led her out by the lake so they could be alone and watch the sun set over the lake and then they watched as the stars started brightening up the sky.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"I have been forewarned that obstacles real or not will be put in Harry's way of his ultimate task and dream...to defeat Voldemort, and live a normal life. We must keep our eyes and ears peeled and open for anything that may be thrown in his way, so I or one of the Professor's can warn him to be prepared." finished Dumbledore.   
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"Landon Vance I'm afraid is an even bigger threat to us then we may realize. Andre, for as long as Landon is in the hospital I want you and only you to be his sole healer that goes in our out of that room." Dumbledore continued and Andre nodded his head.

"We will also have to place a guard around his room at all times. He is suspended from Hogwarts until the spring term starts, so at least well hopefully anyways he will not bother Ginny for awhile. I say Ginny because he has his eye on a trophy, and she, is the trophy." Dumbledore said darkly. The Weasley's all shuddered and Mrs. Weasley had to stifle a sob. "This meeting is adjourned for now." Dumbledore said.

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Landon's parents still couldn't dismiss the odd feeling they had, but kept a vigil on his bed. When his healer came in and checked his vitals they saw that nothing still troubled Healer Simbala, so they once again waved it off as nerves.

When Andre was done, he spoke briefly to them about being in later to give him more potions and then he left.

Andre walked out of the room and nodded almost imperceptivly at the wall, and then he continued on. So far everything was looking good.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Harry took Ginny's hand and led her out by the lake so they could be alone and watch the sun set over the lake and then they watched as the stars started brightening up the sky.  
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"Its so beautiful out here with all the stars twinkling so bright, I feel like they're shining brighter then usual just for us." Said Ginny pure rapture on her face as she looked up into the night sky. Her smile died on her lips when she saw Harry's grim expression. "Harry? What is it? What's wrong?" she asked concern blooming up in her.

Harry softly took Ginny's other hand in his own and pulled her towards him, he kissed her gently before pulling back just far enough so they could be face to face. "Ginny, we need to talk about...about the rest of my dream." He started, pleading to her with his eyes to listen to him.

Ginny got fired up as she usually did every time Harry brought his dream up, she didn't want to think about it and spoil their new found, finally happiness. She especially did not want to talk about it tonight when the open grounds of Hogwarts were there's and only there's, but she could tell he needed to talk. After all this was the beginning of October, and his mother did say that _the one most important to him would be taken away before Halloween._ She sighed and sat down under the brilliant canopy of the stars and pulled him down next to her. "All right love, let's talk about it." Harry moved to sit in front of her so they were face to face and not side by side, and he held on tightly to her hands.

"Sweet Ginny, I know this is not easy for you to hear, just as it is not easy for me to say, but we must." He pulled both of her hands to his mouth and softly kissed the knuckles of one hand and then the other before he continued.

After Harry was done kissing her hands he gently let them go and cradled her face between his hands. It never seized to amaze Ginny, that one such as Harry who has never been shown true love by anyone as a boy could be so considerate and loving of her. Or Ron or Hermione or anyone else that he came in contact with.

"Ginny you know you are the one I care for the most, which puts you in grave danger. I can't stop nor want to stop those feelings either even if it was to save you, I could push you away and say I don't care or l-l-love you anymore but that would be lying and Voldemort would know it, so he would still take you from me. I just think that we need to be prepared." Harry stopped when he saw Ginny's face change.

"W-what did I say or do?" he asked hesitantly, although he thought he had a pretty good idea of what it was. He had told he loved her and they had only been together for a little over a week.

"You said you loved me, is it true Harry?" asked Ginny carefully guarding her emotions, she didn't want to show him how much it meant to her for saying it if he really didn't mean it.

He looked away towards the lake, thankful that it was dark so she could not see how red his face was. He let out a barely audible whisper of "yes" so soft that Ginny had to process it through her brain first to make sure he said that.

When it did finally get processed through she threw herself at him with such a force that it knocked him on his back, and she kissed him deeply and passionately. At first Harry was so surprised that he didn't know what to do, but then he wrapped his arms tightly around her small middle and kissed her back, just as emotionally strong as her. He didn't know how long they had been kissing and didn't care who if anyone saw them, he had told the girl he loved that he loved her and she was happy about it.

Finally they had pulled away from each other long enough for Ginny to help Harry back into a sitting position and then they attacked each other again with a mind blowing kiss. This time when they pulled away they were so out of breath that neither spoke for a while, several minutes passed and all that could be heard were the rippling waves behind them at the lake and their deep breathing.

"Oh Harry!" Ginny said near tears brimming with happiness, "I've waited so long! _So very long_ to hear you say those words to me. I love you ever so much and I thought I would never have the chance to say it!" As she finished the tears did indeed come and she couldn't or wouldn't stop them.

"You have? I'm so sorry I've been so blind to you all these years, I'll never make that mistake again," said Harry, his voice thick with emotion.

Then his sad expression came back again. "Oh Ginny I've put you in such an unfair spot! You'll be taken from me if we can't figure out what to do." He said he was so scared of losing her that it was heard throughout every painstaking word he just said. "He'll take you away and give you to your worst enemy which I think we both can agree on is Landon Vance!" He said this last statement in one breath as if saying it fast would help ease the burden of saying it.

Ginny had sobered up to, the light of new found love dying from her eyes, and she nodded. "I know Harry, believe me I know. Even though I know that Landon is gone from Hogwarts I'm still terrified that he or someone else will steal me away somehow from you and the safety of you and Hogwarts."

She sighed and looked up at the stars for a few minutes before continuing, "but what _can we do about it?"_ she asked panic was now etching in her voice. "Somehow, someway Voldemort will get me and give me to him."

**"NO!** That won't happen! I won't let it! We will stop him from taking you I won't allow for him to touch one hair on your beautiful head." Harry took her hands back and held them hard and strong in his grip. Ginny winced at the pain but she didn't pull them away, she knew that Harry would figure something out.


	10. Chapter 10: Andre's Discovery

_**CHAPTER TEN: ANDRE'S DISCOVERY**_

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_Andre walked out of the room and nodded almost imperceptively at the wall, then he continued on. So far everything was looking good.   
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Landon's parents still could not shake the feelings that something was wrong with their son from them. They got increasingly more uncomfortable even after the Healer had checked him and told them not to worry. Finally Mrs. Vance could stand it no longer, she turned to her husband and whispered something to him and then quickly headed out of Landon's room to find his healer.

She found him at a small circular table that served as office desks to five healer's. She cleared her throat when she came to him and said, "Healer Simbala?"

He looked at her and smiled "Yes, Mrs. Vance? I was about to head into the potions closet to retrieve your son's potions," he said.

She wrung her hands, looked down at the floor and said, "Could the potions wait a moment? I think something might be wrong with Landon." She said pleading with Andre to come with her now. She looked back up at him and she saw he was patiently waiting for a further explanation. "You see, last week when we left Landon alone to get something to eat, we came back and he seemed...well...different to us but since you have never found anything wrong with him we pushed it away as nerves. It has been becoming a harder thing to us to push back and today when you checked and still said he was fine, I just couldn't shake the feeling this time, so I came out here to ask you to look closer at him." She finished, her voice had raised an octave higher.

Andre said calmly "Yes ma'am, Mrs. Vance, his vitals were fine and his coloring was perfectly good but I do not know him as well as you, so if you think something is wrong, I'll be happy to come back with you and look again." He said all this without betraying his fear that something might actually be wrong, and he didn't mean physically.

"Would you Healer Simbala?!?" exclaimed Mrs. Vance excitedly, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off just by him agreeing to look at her son closer. "My husband and I would really appreciate that." She said, relieved that he did not ask any questions, or say she was nuts.

As she led him back, he looked meaningfully at the wall again and headed inside. Andre flipped on the lights knowing that he would not disturb any of the three people in there and headed to the third bed, Landon's.

He looked very thoroughly at Landon's vitals again, his coloring and anything else he might've thought needed to be looked at. He was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Vance were watching him closely; to make sure he did as she asked him to do. Everything looked fine, he couldn't understand why they thought that something was not right with their son. _"Must be parental intuition"_ he thought to himself. He double checked and triple checked everything including his head, arms, heart, legs and ankles, including his fingers and toes and saw nothing.

He straightened up and turned to Mr. and Mrs. Vance and said, "I'm sorry but I don't see anything wrong with Landon, could you maybe perhaps tell me what you think may be wrong?" he asked them.

Mr. and Mrs. Vance looked at each other and back to Andre and shook their heads sadly, they couldn't tell and they knew and saw Healer Simbala check, double, and triple check Landon.

"I'll go and get Landon's potions now, I'll be right back," as he said that out of the corner of his eye he saw something flicker. He hid his surprise by looking at his watch, "You two wait here, I'll be back soon with his potions." They nodded their heads and he turned and headed out of the room, walking calmly out like nothing was out of the ordinary.

He closed the door and whispered to the wall "Grimmauld Place NOW!" he said his lips barely moving and his voice barely audible. He heard a faint **"CRACK!"** and knew whomever was the guard was gone. He headed to the potions closet slowly and deliberately but not so much that he would bring attention to himself. He opened the closet, locked it, took out his pendant and whispered, _"Flamos!"_

The pendant burned warm, and he then Apparated to Grimmauld Place.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"NO! That won't happen! I won't let it! We will stop him from taking you I won't allow for him to touch one hair on your beautiful head." Harry took her hands back and held them hard and strong in his grip. Ginny winced at the pain but she didn't pull them away, she knew that Harry would figure something out.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

After a few more moments of silence Ginny actually came up with the solution. "Harry, we should probably tell Dumbledore about your dream, I know he'd want to know." she said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, you're right. Dumbledore would want to know." said Harry and he got up and helped Ginny up and they headed to the castle to Dumbledore's office.

Ginny noticed that Harry was distant, she tugged on his hand and asked, "Harry, what're you thinking about?"

Harry was silent for a long while, Ginny thought he wouldn't answer then he burst out. "Why can't I lead a normal life with normal problems? Why did he have to choose me and we can't have a normal functioning relationship because of that?!" He stopped but Ginny knew he wasn't finished. "I hate that I have to be 'the boy who lived' and I hate that because of that you and I have to live in constant fear now of you being taken away!"

Ginny stopped and turned Harry towards her, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead. "You will Harry, we will get through this together and after its all done, we will have a normal relationship with no more fear, and you will have a normal life." she said softly, her words carrying a big comfort to Harry.

"I never wanted to put you in the path of danger that you are in now Ginny, I wanted to protect you." Said Harry sadly and with a hint of defeat in his voice, he pulled her into a hug and didn't let go.

Ginny gently pulled herself away from him and took his hand, they started walking and she spoke again. "I know you didn't want to do that to me, I chose to put myself in the middle of it when I accepted you. I knew about all of this but I didn't care. I knew you wouldn't be able to rest peacefully until this was settled once and for all, but I still fell for you and opened myself to that, I still gave you my heart and we'll get through this together."

Harry looked at her with such love, "how did I ever live before you were mine?"

"You never did Harry; you always had me, from the beginning, cheering you from the side." She told him her feelings showing crystal clear in her eyes.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_He opened the closet, locked it, took out his pendant and whispered, "Flamos!"  
The pendant burned warm, and he then Apparated to Grimmauld Place.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Tonks was already there, she had been the guard at the door when he walked out of the room. Shortly they were joined by Dumbledore, Remus, Molly, Bella, and Chase. "Who alerted us?" asked Remus.

"I did," said Andre, "Our target is gone, he has returned to Voldemort."

"How do you know this?" asked Bella.

"His mother came out to get me, she said she has been worried about Landon, something didn't seem right. She said they went to eat last week, and came back and thought there was something different about him." He stopped and looked around at everyone listening expectantly.

"She said they realized it right before I came in last week to give him his potions, but when they saw that I was not alarmed they pushed thoughts away." he finished.

"So if he was missing, then how did you not know this earlier?" asked Chase, confusion on his face.

"Because he wasn't missing, he was there; or rather the shell of him was there. A metamorphagus was there to replace him." said Andre, comprehension dawning on everyone's face.

"How do you..." startled Molly.

"Do I know? Because when my head was turned and I was distracted by his parents, I saw out of the corner of my eye that his nose disappeared and a different one reappeared." said Andre.

"The metamorphagus, whoever he/she is, is getting tired. The person can not change in front of his parents, and it hasn't left the bed since last week after his parents came back." he turned to Tonks and continued. "Isn't that right Tonks? You metamorphagi can only stay in one still position and the same form, for a week tops."

Tonks nodded her head, "It's true, when we're not ourselves and we stay in a different form for too long, we get tired."

Andre checked his watch, "I have to get back, I'm only supposed to be getting Landon's potion, the metamorphagi has no idea I saw what I did." he said, and then he Disapparated back to the potions closet to get the potions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Yeah, you're right. Dumbledore would want to know." said Harry and he got up and helped Ginny up and they headed to the castle to Dumbledore's office._

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

"Lemon Cake!" exclaimed Harry, and the gargoyle moved forward and revealed the stairs leading up to Dumbledore's office. Harry led Ginny by the hand, up the stairs, to knock on the door of Dumbledore's office.

Harry knocked quietly at the door, when he got no answer he knocked louder and called "Professor Dumbledore! It's me Harry, and Ginny is with me." Still there was no answer.

"That's strange, he was at dinner, but it's been over with for awhile now. He must be talking to one of the Professor's somewhere." said Ginny, "Come on Harry, we'll try back later before curfew." So they headed back down the stairs.

The gargoyle swung silently shut behind them. Harry led the way back outside, "Come on let's go enjoy the fresh air of tonight, I don't think there will be much more fine nights like these." Ginny agreed and they headed back outside, to enjoy the rest of their night together.

The others stayed at Grimmauld after Andre left. Dumbledore then touched his pendant and said the incantation. This time when it warmed up more people arrived. Mr. Weasley, Bill and Fleur Delacour, Charlie, Fred and George, and Moody. Dumbledore was very happy that all the Weasley's were now here, they needed to know that the danger to Ginny has gotten worse.

"Albus, who called us the first and now second time?" asked Mr. Weasley looking around at the people who were already there.

"Andre called the first time to let us know something has gone horribly wrong with Landon. I called this time to be able to tell all the Weasley's what has happened." said Dumbledore.

Mr. Weasley looked around at Mrs. Weasley who was already there; he could tell she was dangerously close to tears. "Molly? What happened?" he asked gently.

Mrs. Weasley looked at Dumbledore and he nodded his head. "Oh Arthur! Landon has escaped! He has gone back to him! Andre did not know that Landon was missing because a Metamorphagus took his place!" She sobbed out to her husband.

"What?!" roared Mr. Weasley, more out of fear for his daughter then anger at Landon disappearing right out from under their noses. "Vance is gone! Ginny's been in danger for...for how long has he been gone?"

"At the closest we can tell since almost one week ago when his parents left his side for a brief time to get some food." said Dumbledore gravely.

"You mean Ginny could've been hurt and we wouldn't've even suspected Landon?" asked Charlie.

"Yes, I think it would've happened soon to and we wouldn't've known because of that very reason and I'll bet that's what Voldemort's (all the Weasley's cringed) plan has been the entire time." Said Dumbledore, "We're going to need a guard out of the room and in the room to now Tonks can go back and guard the outer side like she was before until her normal time is up, do I have any volunteer's as to who want to be inside?" finished Dumbledore.

"I'll go," said Bill Weasley.

"No Bill you can't just leaves me here." Said Fleur, her English has gotten immensely better under Bill's tutelage, especially now that were together.

Bill looked at Fleur and said, "I have to sweetie, Ginny's my little sister. You would do the same for Gabriella." He was rubbing her arms to calm her down.

Fleur sighed, "You are right, I vould do it for Gabriella, I understand, but ve careful." she said.

"I will," and he kissed his mother and Fleur on their cheeks, placed a _"Disillusionment"_ on himself and he too Disapparated, Tonks, right after him. Fleur went to Mrs. Weasley's arms crying.

"Alright, we need to figure out what to do to keep Ginny safer at Hogwarts." said Dumbledore, "anyone have any ideas?"

Everyone was in deep thought for awhile but none could come up with anything.

**CRACK, CRACK** one after the other Bill and Tonks Apparated into the potions closet, Andre was waiting.

"What took you so long? I almost had to go in there without knowing if anyone would show up." said Andre to Tonks, She had the Invisibility Cloak in one hand and the other appeared to be holding on to thin air. "Who else is here Tonks?"

"Me," said Bill's voice from somewhere to the side of Tonks' hand.

"Bill? You must have the Disillusionment charm around you." said Andre.

"Yeah I do, I'm supposed to go in the room and watch over the imposter from there, and Tonks will still be on the outside." said Bill's voice again.

"Alright then let's go, Bill somehow you will have to tell me that you are in the room so I can close the door, do you want to go first? Or after me?" asked Andre.

"I'll go first and move ahead to the wall right by Landon's bed." He said.

"Okay, and Tonks, you will still be where you were before right?" asked Andre.

"Wotcher, Andre you got it." Tonks covered herself up and now Andre was flanked by two invisible guards. They headed towards Landon's room.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Come on Harry, we'll try back later before curfew." Ginny had said.   
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Dumbledore stayed a little longer hoping that he or anyone else could come up with a suitable plan for Ginny. So far the best one was that, Ginny would have to be moved into every class of Harry's but Dumbledore had his reserves. He would have to think of something else. The last thing he wanted was to enrage the rest of the students at Hogwarts and he knew that that would probably happen. He had been stewing over an idea for some time now although he had not said anything to anyone yet. He looked at his watch and told them he had to get back to Hogwarts and he Disapparated to Hogsmede, and walked the rest of the way to Hogwarts.

Harry and Ginny had returned to the Common Room not long ago, and were enjoying watching the fire crackle happily in its fireplace. Ron and Hermione were cuddled together on one chair and Harry and Ginny were on the couch. Harry had placed his back against one of the arms, and Ginny was lying on her back with his arms wrapped around her middle. Ginny turned her face up to Harry's and said, "We'd better get going if we want to see Dumbledore before tomorrow."

Harry nodded and they got up and walked out of the common room towards Dumbledore's office again. They reached the gargoyle again and gave the password for the second time and headed up the stairs. This time Ginny knocked, "Professor Dumbledore! Its Ginny and Harry are you there? May we come in?" Still there was no sound, just the echo of Ginny's voice.

She knocked again louder, still nothing. "Gee, that's really weird, I hope he's okay. Let's go find Professor McGonagall, she would know where to find him." said Ginny, just as they were about to turn around they heard a voice from behind them.

"Hello you two," said Dumbledore, he had heard them in the stairwell. "To what do I owe this late night visit?" he asked.

"Professor Dumbledore, we need to tell you something, or rather, I need to tell you something, Ginny is just here for moral support." said Harry.

Dumbledore looked from one to the other and sighed, "Very well, but please make it quick." He let them in and motioned for them to sit down. Then he sat and steepled his fingers under his chin, clearly ready to hear the explanation.


	11. Chapter 11: The Note

_**A/N: First off Disclaimer again, I do not own Harry Potter or other familiar characters, they belong to JK Rowling. Anything new is mine. Now secondly, a lot if not all of you who read this chapter will not like the way a certain character will act. But let's just say, I think it's high time that Harry gets his comeuppance, he's been on top of an imaginary pedestal that's he's put himself on not knowing it for too long and needs to be knocked down a bit. Please don't stop reading this if you don't like this chapter, it gets better, and real action and emotions will be starting very soon. Nitingale**_

_**CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE NOTE  
**_

Harry cleared his throat and began. "Professor, I'm sorry we came so late, but when we came earlier not long after dinner you weren't here, so we came again." Dumbledore nodded and motioned for Harry to continue.

So Harry settled down and began to tell Dumbledore about his dream and what he and Ginny had taken the "enemy" for. After he was finished he sat back satisfied that he had gotten that dream off his chest and had told the only person that he knew of that could take a huge mountain of a problem like this and turn it into a tiny little ant hill that could be crushed.

Dumbledore didn't say anything for a long while, he had waited so long to say anything that Harry and Ginny began to get nervous. Finally when Harry thought he could not take the silence a minute longer he spoke.

"I didn't want to tell you two this but it appears that I must in light of your dream Harry." Dumbledore started.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and then back at Professor Dumbledore, "Tell us what sir?" Ginny asked questioningly.

"It appears that Landon has been taken away, back to Voldemort..." he started again but was roughly cut off.

**"WHAT?!?!?!"** exclaimed Harry and Ginny together in unison. Harry was outraged, Ginny was fearful.

Dumbledore held up his hands to silence any further words from Harry or Ginny. Harry and Ginny shut their mouths, but Ginny was trembling and Harry put a protective but comforting arm around her, a look of controlled rage on his face.

"We put a guard on Landon's door at St. Mungos, but it appears we were too late. Landon has been missing almost as long as he has been in the hospital. We did not know this for Voldemort placed one of his own Metamorphagus' follower's in Landon's place in bed. His parents have been thinking that something is wrong since then but they always shrugged it off."

"We have an informant at St. Mungos, that is the only Healer that goes in and out of that room but since the Metamorphagus, looked exactly like Landon no one knew any different until his mother said something tonight." Dumbledore finished.

"You mean Ginny could have been taken at any time and no one would've been the wiser?" questioned Harry, keeping his temper in check although it was becoming increasingly more difficult.

"Yes, that's true." the Headmaster said slowly, knowing that anything said from now on could snap Harry's temper.

"How're we going to protect her? She could get taken at any time or from any where." Harry's temper was continuously climbing higher and higher to the boiling point.

"'We' are not going to protect her, the teacher's and the Order will protect Ginny. Not you Harry. Our...I hesitate to use the word informant anymore, is not telling us anything anymore that is happening on Voldemort's side. Either because he doesn't know or he chooses not to say." said Dumbledore placatingly.

At Harry's furious face and Ginny's continuously trembling form Dumbledore went a step further. "We have a guard in and at Mr. Vance's room and bedside, if the metamorphagi tries to flee, he/she will be apprehended."

"Well can't you have the teacher's or something accompanying Ginny to her classes and to meals and to the dorm to keep her safe?" Harry angrily asked his control on his temper as wearing thin.

Dumbledore was about to answer but before he could Ginny piped up. "No Harry, he can't, not without raising question, suspicions, fear and/or resentment towards me or them, from every other student here."

"I don't _CARE_ about them or their feelings! I care only about **YOU AND YOUR SAFETY!"** roared Harry, jumping to his feet, his control finally snapped, and Ginny cringed away from him in fear. Dumbledore stood up as well.

"Sit down MR. POTTER!" Demanded Professor Dumbledore.

Harry upon hearing his name spoken like that from his headmaster who had never, ever called him by anything other then Harry shut his mouth and sat down meekly in his chair. He was finally going to get what he had deserved ever since stepping foot at Hogwarts, he knew this without a doubt. He, Harry, had finally crossed the very generous line that Professor Dumbledore had drawn for him. He hung his head and waited.

Dumbledore sat back in his chair, cold fury in his normally smiling eyes. He spoke his voice calm and distant. "I am shocked at your blatant disregard for your fellow students, some of which you claim you care about Mr. Potter." Harry winced at hearing his name spoken like that again. He continued, "There are hundreds of other students that are here and they are just as important as Miss Weasley. My time and the teachers' time do not only revolve around you and your friends." He stopped again before he continued, Harry's head was still hanging low, he felt ashamed, he should've watched how he said what he said, he knew Ginny and Dumbledore were right.

"If any one of us should be angry it should be Miss Weasley, she is the one that should be angry and throwing fits, but strangely enough she is not. She unlike you is thinking of the other students of this school, and not just herself. Now I will once again assure you Mr. Potter that every precaution that we can do without drawing suspicion to ourselves is being taken in Miss Weasley's safety. That is all you need to know." He finished, anger was still imminent in his eyes, his voice still deathly calm.

"I will be taking five points away from Gryffindor, and you will be receiving detention Mr. Potter. Meet me here in my office tomorrow night after dinner to be told what your detention will be." Dumbledore informed Harry.

"Yes sir," mumbled a miserable Harry.

"I have been giving you a lot of free run around the castle and I turn away from when you bend or disobey the rules. From now until you can prove to me that you are responsible and not disrespectful towards the others in this school you will be watched very carefully, and every step you take no matter how little or great will cost you and your house. When you can control your outbursts then I may be a little more lenient towards you again." He said this last bit and then stood up.

"Now get out of my office and to your dorm before I take more points away from Gryffindor for you being out past curfew, and go straight there no detours." Dumbledore dismissed them.

Ginny and Harry got to their feet and walked out single file. Harry didn't think he had ever felt so wretched ever before in his life, not even when he was living with the Dursley's all those miserable years, he was so ashamed.

If Dumbledore's reprimand and detention weren't enough Ginny didn't speak to him, nor touch him. She didn't even say anything to him when they went their separate ways, even after Harry attempted to say goodnight to her. He didn't possibly think his night could go worse.

When Harry reached the dorm room he saw that Ron was not in there. Dean, Seamus and Neville however were, and they stopped talking the instant Harry came in. He could see they were already ready to go to sleep for the night, and then he saw Dean quickly slip something away hiding it from Harry. He didn't care he went straight to his bed and got ready to sleep himself. When he finished he saw they were still up and watching him.

"What?" he asked.

When Dean, Neville and Seamus still did not respond Harry asked again "What?" already feeling ashamed of himself he could feel himself getting annoyed with their continued silence.

Dean, and Seamus elbowed Neville, singling him out, besides Ron they knew Harry liked Neville the best so they thought it'd be better coming from him. Neville then glared at them but when he saw Harry round on him he was frightened, he could see Harry was severely upset about something.

"M-maybe some other t-time when you are in a better mood we can tell you." he said, praying that this stall tactic would work.

It didn't, Harry glared at Neville and then the other two and back to Neville. "No I think right now is perfect, what is it Neville?" he asked annoyed now. Slowly Neville reached for the thing that Harry saw Dean hide and without looking at Harry he held it out to him. Harry grabbed the thing out of Neville's hand and Neville shrank back.

Harry saw that it was an envelope, and that it was open. He looked on the front and read who it was addressed to.

In bold letters, that Harry did not recognize the handwriting it said...

**BOYS OF GRYFFINDOR DORM, 7TH YEAR.**

Harry turned it back over and slipped the piece of parchment out. He narrowed his eyes angrily when he saw what it was.

"Who sent this?!!?" he asked, waving the piece of parchment above his head.

"W-we d-don't know H-harry, it was here in our room when we came in from being outside." Stammered Neville, he was turning pink with embarrassment and Dean and Seamus suddenly became interested in the pattern of Dean's bed cover.

Harry looked at the parchment again and glared at it. It was a sketch of Ginny; drawn very clearly, but it was charmed to move like the Wizard pictures. It showed Ginny dressed then not dressed, smiling as a hooded figure took her to him. Underneath it said in the same unrecognizable handwriting.

_"She will soon be mine, now all of you know what HE'LL be missing out on.  
**CARPE DIEM**...Harry Potter."_

"Has Ron seen this?" asked Harry once again waving it at their faces. They all shook their heads. Harry took out his wand and lit it on fire. When it had burned itself down just enough for the writing to be smudged to the point of not being able to read it Harry balled it up into a charred wad and threw it in the trash can by his bed, and the trash can caught it and gulped it away. "Let's keep it that way."

He said no more to them, and drew his curtains around his bed, and made not one more sound nor uttered one more word. The other three looked at each other surprised, they couldn't understand why Harry did not run out of there enlisting a Gryffindor girls help in seeing if Ginny was alright. They didn't know that if something had happened to Ginny, Harry would know instantly no matter where he was.

Dean and Seamus turned in for the night but Neville did not. After he was sure his dorm mates especially Harry were asleep, he quietly crept out if the room to find Ron and/or Hermione. Ron had not yet returned so he had a feeling that wherever Ron was Hermione would be there to.

He found them on the couch by the fire, kissing. Neville felt uncomfortable, he didn't want to disturb them but his fear for Ginny overcame everything. He cleared his throat, and Ron and Hermione upon hearing that let go of each other. Hermione hung her head in embarrassment and Ron looked as though he was about to throttle whoever it was that had interrupted them. Neville did not back down.

"Hermione? Can you go check on Ginny please?" he asked determined not to show any emotion of fear he had for her safety.

Hermione's head snapped up, "Why?" she asked.

Neville shuffled his feet before he spoke again, "Please go check and then I'll tell you why, I promise."

Hermione got up without another word and went to check on Ginny. Neville was still shuffling his feet looking everywhere but at Ron although he could feel Ron's eyes burning into him. Hermione came back not long after and gently said, "She's fine Neville, now can you tell us why?" She sat down next to Ron and laid a hand on his arm.

Relief flooded through Neville's veins and he felt like he could breathe easier now that he knew Ginny was safe. He didn't want to tell but he knew he must because he promised; he just didn't want Ron flying off his handle at him. Then he thought _"even if Harry doesn't care, they will."_

"Neville?" asked Hermione again, her grip tightened on Ron's arm. She knew how intimidated Neville was of Ron especially in regards to Ginny.

"Well it's like this, we, as in Dean, Seamus and I read a note that was addressed to us as in the Gryffindor boys dorm 7th year. The letter was no more then a note really with a picture on it. It was a rather revealing picture of...of...Ginny." He stuttered out those last words.

"What do you mean, 'revealing'?" Ron asked with a cold calm in his voice.

"Well...uh...er...you k-know." Neville stammered again.

**"WHAT?!?"** shouted Ron so loudly that even the bats were startled away from the tower windows.

Neville cringed at Ron's explosion, visibly trembling now Neville continued. "Well Dean, Seamus and I just showed Harry..."

"You've all seen this?!" exploded Ron again his face turning beet red and then to a shade of dark magenta, with rage. "Harry to?"

Neville could only nod; he was so frightened of Ron's outbursts he wasn't sure he wanted to continue.

"RON! CALM DOWN! Let Neville finish." Ordered Hermione, Ron mouthed wordlessly at her, but no sound was heard he was so outraged.

Hermione got up from the couch and stepped in between where Neville was standing and Ron was sitting trembling with rage. Neville was grateful she did that so he wouldn't have to see Ron anymore. "Neville, did the letter say anything?" she asked him.

Neville nodded but didn't say a word, he looked fearfully at Ron over her shoulder. Hermione got the point.

"Neville only look at me not Ron; tell me what the note said. Ron won't say a word or blame you for anything you tell us, _RIGHT_ Ron." She shot daggers at Ron with her eyes at her last words. **"RIGHT?"** It was more of a command then anything. Ron minutely nodded his head and she turned back to Neville. "There, now tell us."

Neville cleared his throat again, and started. "It was addressed like this 'Boys of Gryffindor Dorm, 7th year,' that is what the envelope said. Seamus, Dean and I like came in together like I said earlier, Seamus opened it and we saw what it was." Neville swallowed hard and dared a look at Ron, and then he continued.

So we opened it up and saw the picture. Underneath the picture were the words, 'She will soon be mine, now all of you know what he'll be missing. CARPE DIEM...Harry Potter.'"

Ron was breathing angrily behind Hermione who promptly covered it up with her next words. "When you showed this picture and note to Harry, what did he do or say?"

"It's what he didn't do that confused us, and why I came to you. He didn't run out of the dorm looking to see if she was alright or even worried about her." Neville returned.

"Neville, I didn't ask what Harry didn't do I asked did he do or say anything? She said again.

"Yes, he read it, asked if Ron knew about it, when we said no he crumpled up the paper, set it on fire and then threw the charred remains in the trash, and he said 'let's keep it that way.' Then he went on his bed and pulled the curtains and did not say anything else." finished Neville, relieved that it was done and said, and that Ginny was alright.

"Thank you for telling us about it." said Hermione, she turned to Ron and demanded "Right Ron?" Ron gruffly nodded his head.

Neville was turning to go back up to the dorm room when he turned back around and shyly asked Hermione "Why didn't Harry check on her to see if she was alright? I mean I thought he cared about her."

"He does care about her, but Harry and Ginny have a mysterious connection to each other. They from now on will always know when something is going wrong with the other of them, or if someone is hurt. That's why he didn't panic." said Hermione.

Neville seemed satisfied with that answer; he never knew Hermione to tell tales, so he once again turned around and headed up to the dorm.


	12. Chapter 12: Facing Anger

_**CHAPTER TWELVE: FACING ANGER  
**_

Back in his office Dumbledore was pacing around angrily, talking to no one in particular, but he knew all the portraits were listening, "How could I have let my temper loose on Harry? I know why, because he deserved it. He has always gone his own way against the rules but he never, not once, ever not cared about his fellow students and his friends. Why has he become so selfish?"

The portraits were watching him pace around the office, some had stern looks, some had smug looks, and some had sympathy looks. They wanted to say something to the Headmaster but none of them knew what, he had never fought with Harry Potter before. Even Fawkes kept quiet, he didn't know what to do, for the first time ever his Phoenix song did not ease the nerves of his Master.

Right after Harry and Ginny had left, Professor Dumbledore had sent an owl to Remus, since he did not know where Remus was. He kept glancing at his office door or at the fireplace anxiously waiting for him to arrive. Finally the fireplace glowed emerald green and Remus appeared out of the fire.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A gloomy Sunday morning was what greeted Ginny, Hermione, Ron and all the other people at the school as they were eating their breakfasts. Ginny had noticed that Harry was not with Ron when he came down but she wasn't upset, she knew he'd come down eventually, instead of waiting for him like she normally did she headed to breakfast with Ron and Hermione.

Ginny also noticed that Ron seemed angry, Hermione was glancing anxiously form one to the other of the two Weasley's, and the rest of Harry's dorm mates couldn't look at her or speak to her, not even Neville, who has never failed to say hello to her whenever he saw her, she wondered what was going on and if Harry's missing had anything to do with it.

Finally when she couldn't take it anymore she burst out, "What? What is going on? Harry isn't down here and everyone seems edgy around me what did I do?"

Ron didn't say anything and just stabbed angrily at his scrambled eggs and bacon, hardly eating any of it.

Ginny turned to Hermione, "Well? What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything Ginny." Said Hermione soothingly, torn between telling Ginny and not telling Ginny. When she saw Ginny's doubtful look she decided to tell her, even if Ron wouldn't like it.

She sighed and said to Ginny "The boys in Harry's dorm last night received a note, that had a picture on it."

"So?" asked Ginny not sure why this had anything to do with her.

_"Hermione!"_ Hissed Ron.

"She deserves to know Ron, and if you won't tell her then I will." Hermione shot back.

She turned again to Ginny and began. "The note was a not so flattering look at you...it showed a horrible picture of you...well...anyways underneath it there were a few words of attack on Harry. Telling him that soon you'll be someone's and you'll enjoy it. Then it said 'Carpe Diem...Harry Potter.'"

"Seize the day? Seize the day of what?" Ginny asked quizzically. When neither Ron nor Hermione answered, it hit her, it hit her on what the note and the picture meant. She burst into tears and ran out.

Ron got up, glared at Hermione and ran after his sister. "Ginny! Ginny wait!" His voice echoed back to Hermione. She sighed, got up from the table and with determination; she headed back to the Tower to find Harry.

When Harry awoke the sky promised gloominess which suited his mood perfectly. He looked around and saw that no one, not even Ron was in the dorm room. _"Good"_ he thought he preferred it that way right now. He got dressed and made his solitary way down the stairs, and found an equally empty common room. All the better for him, he didn't feel like going to breakfast so he just sat down in his favorite chair and just was thinking.

He was so deep in thought that he jumped when the portrait hole swung open to admit someone. He got up and was about to hide when he recognized the bushy brown hair. He relaxed a bit; he'd recognize that hair anywhere. He didn't see the familiar accompaniment of a tall, gangly red headed person so he thought he was safe.

When he saw her familiar face of his beloved friend he smiled brightly at her. Instead of her usual familiar smile he was met with a glare. "Room of Requirement now!" said Hermione she then turned back around on her heel and started walking away. He thought about running away and hiding, he really did not want to get into another row with Dumbledore's still freshly with him.

He knew though it would do no good, if he ran and hid in his room she'd follow him in there. "Now Harry!" Hermione hissed out, reluctantly with no other choice he followed her.

When she finally reached to where the door would be she walked back and forth in front of it three times, and concentrated on her anger and her thoughts and knew the room would mirror what she was feeling. The door magically appeared and she walked straight in. Raising an eyebrow for Harry to follow, seeing he had no choice again he followed.

The door slammed shut behind him once he walked in there. He glanced around the room and flinched by the way this room looked she was extremely angry. It was small and all shades of red for her anger, the chairs were wood and looked very uncomfortable.

After he looked around he tried to make a feeble attempt at a joke, "Angry Hermione?"

"Yes, I am," she said not cracking a sliver of a smile. "What do you mean by keeping that note from Ron and me?" she exploded at him.

"What not...?" the word died off on hip lips when he realized what she meant. "Who told you about that?" He asked starting to get angry himself at whoever told.

"That's not important! What's important is that you kept it from us, Ron in particular, why did you do that?" She asked him again.

"I didn't want Ron to get angry about something that wasn't going to happen! We both know how protective he's become of Ginny lately." said Harry angrily.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"It was clear to me that it was just a cruel, albeit a very cruel practical joke. So I didn't want Ron to go flying off the handle, so I burned it and threw it away." he said through clenched teeth. "And anyway we _ALL_ would have known if something really did happen to her, so that was another reason I didn't say anything."

"I just don't understand why you're not angrier about this, its regarding Ginny and her safety. If she means that much to you as it seems then why are you so easy about it?" Hermione asked.

"Because the last time, last night in fact, when I was trying to defend Ginny and help her I ended up with detention AND Ginny didn't speak to me the rest of the night nor did she wait for me this morning so I just figured that I should let it go!" Harry exploded at Hermione.

He softened a little bit when Hermione looked like she was close to tears because he had frightened her.

He let his temper drain out of him before he continued. "Hermione, I need someone I can talk to who won't judge me or think me horrible for some of the things I need to say. I definitely cannot tell Ron, and I used to think I could turn to you but I can't anymore, now that you got your wish and you and Ron are dating." He sighed out after these last words. "I just don't know what to do, or who I can talk to now that I've alienated my girlfriend and my two best friends in the entire world are too busy to see that something has been bothering me."

Something in Harry's tone made Hermione stop to really look at him it wasn't so much his words but his tone. When she saw such a sadness and hopelessness in his eyes that were normally so calm and sure, her reserve melted towards him. She could see he needed a friend and whatever it was he needed to say he couldn't say freely without worrying it would get back to Ron or Ginny. He had been there for her last year when she needed him the most, and she couldn't and wouldn't let him down when he needed her the most. "What is it Harry?" she asked.

He had yet to tell Ron and Hermione everything that has happened so when he saw that he could trust her, all his sorrows spilled out of him. He told her why he disappeared that night that Ginny fainted, he told her what Dumbledore had told him that very same night about how Voldemort was going to throw obstacles real or not so real at him so he would push everyone away, (he hadn't even told Ginny that yet.) He told her about his dream and how he and Ginny took it as her enemy was Landon. Secretly Hermione agreed with their deduction.

Then he told her about the explosion he had in Dumbledore's office and how he had finally pushed Dumbledore too far, he told her he had detention tonight with him, and he finished with what the rest of the picture was that Neville had left out he told her he expected that to be Landon as well. Then he said, "What's worse Hermione is that when I saw that picture of Ginny like that it made me disgusted to look or even think of her. For the first time since I had realized my feelings for Ginny I didn't want to be around her anymore." He said and hung his head in shame. "I thought that even though I knew that it was fake." He finished with is head still hanging down.

Hermione listened throughout his whole confession, never once interrupting him. Some of the stuff that he said she already knew, other things she didn't. She was startled into the realization that she had been so blind to Harry's suffering, just like he said, and she felt so guilty. She and Ron hadn't been there for him when he needed it the most, and she thought _"If we were doing our job as his best friends we would've seen this coming."_ She had also thought she knew how it would be to be Harry, but honestly she didn't have a clue. She kept these thoughts to herself, and kept silent.

When Hermione remained silent he took it for her wanting to hear the rest, so he continued. "Hermione, I wish I wasn't me. I wish I could escape from the confines of being 'Harry Potter the boy who lived, and must defeat Voldemort to bring peace to the wizarding world once again.'" He said, he had never expressed this to anyone, and he thought that if he had too it would be to Ginny, but not Hermione.

"Even if I was only to escape for a little while and become 'Harry Potter the nobody,' like what Sirius did when he was in Azkaban, if it got to hard on him he transformed into a dog, so he would have less feelings. Sometimes I even wish I had died that night with my parents, or if not then when Voldemort tried to kill me in my fourth year, I wish it had been Cedric taking my body with him instead of me taking his body."

"You, Ron, and now Ginny would all have been better off had you never met me. None of you would've been in danger right now, had I died." Harry stopped again, shocked that he was bearing his soul to someone. He realized that some of these feelings were even brand new to him.

Hermione had to deal with all this and fast or she knew Harry would take her silence the wrong way and clam up. Her best friend in the entire world who always acted so brave and so together of his emotions, but sometimes exploded with anger, they were all just fronts for a terrified wizard who desperately wanted to not be who he is. Who knew that he would either get killed or he would be killed by his own hands before too long.

She knew she had to tread lightly on what words she chose and said, and was so grateful Ron wasn't there she knew he couldn't possibly understand. She herself understood a lot more then she knew Ron would. She licked her lips an asked, "Why haven't you ever told Ron and me this before? We might've been able to help you more by being there for you too lean on."

"Which part?" he asked.

"Everything that you haven't already told us." she responded back.

"The honest truth is some of it just came by my realization today, right now. Some of the others I have known for awhile, but I never wanted anyone to know." He stopped and thought about what he should say next.

"I'm not afraid of Voldemort, I'm not even afraid of dying. What I'm afraid of is that one of you guys will get hurt or...or...worse like Sirius did when he came to my rescue. I'm also afraid that if I did die that Ginny would be alone in this world without me. I don't want her to be alone. I'm also afraid that if she's not sad if something does happen to me she'll actually be thrilled to get rid of the burden of me." He said, his voice fading to a whisper of pain.

"Harry, Ginny has not or never will think of you as a burden. She will also never be left alone; she'll always have her family and me. She will also especially have the memory of you, her first love, she'll lock you away safely in her heart that no one will ever be able to take away or make her forget you," said Hermione softly.

She walked over to where Harry was standing, resolute and sad, so much like the eleven year old wizard with a deep sadness in his eyes that she remembered when she first met him. She put a comforting arm around him and said, "Come on, we need to find Ron and Ginny and between the two of us we will explain to them everything of what you just told me, we all need each other." Just as they were about to head towards the door, a voice spoke.

"You don't need to find us to tell us anything, we heard it all." said a voice from the doorway.

Hermione and Harry looked around startled to find Ron and Ginny in the doorway. Ron had a protective arm around his sister and Ginny was silently crying and trembling. By the way Ginny was crying and Ron was glaring at him Harry knew that when Ron said 'they heard it all' he meant it that they had heard everything, including the bad stuff.

Harry's heart sank and he tried to hide behind Hermione. She firmly grabbed his arm and pulled him next to her, and wouldn't let go of him, and she was looking directly back at the Weasley's with quiet determination in her eyes.

"Fine, if we don't have to tell you then we should figure out what to do." She said with a warning note in her voice.

"There's nothing to say, Harry is ashamed of my sister now because of a stupid note! End of discussion." Ron spat out like a bad taste was in his mouth.

"Honestly Ronald! You _REALLY DO_ have selected hearing don't you?" Hermione commanded. "Did you not also hear Harry say that he didn't want to leave Ginny alone in this world without him? Did you not also hear the sadness in his voice when he thought that instead of being sad if something were to happen to him that she would be happy instead? Did you also _fail_ to hear Harry say he was sorry for meeting us because we were also in danger because of him?" Hermione shot off these questions harshly.

Harry tried to whisper to Hermione "Its okay, he has a right to be angry with me." He said, but she chose to ignore him and continue.

"Also did you not hear that Harry _wants_ to die? Or that he wishes he had died that night with his parents, or that night instead of Cedric? Did it **EVER** occur to you Ronald Weasley that Harry _may_ DIE! Ron, Harry might not survive his battle with HIM!" Hermione shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Before Ron could respond Ginny spoke up softly. "Did it ever occur to any of you that this is one of the attempts by Voldemort, to tear us apart from each other? This is exactly what Dumbledore had warned Harry against, Ron we heard him say that himself, when he was talking to Hermione."

She continued when no one said anything. "Ron if you and Hermione break up because of this or end up taking sides, Harry will blame himself. If Harry and I break up then Harry won't care anymore whether he lives or dies, even though I would. Either way **HE** wins." She stopped and looked around at her brother next to her, and to Harry and Hermione across from them.

They were startled by Ginny's revelation they didn't know what to say. Ron recovered first, "But Ginny, didn't you hear what Harry said?" he asked.

"Yes, I heard it and it hurt deeply, but I know in his heart he didn't mean what he said or thought, did you?" She asked, Harry shook his head 'no' "And like Hermione pointed out, I also heard the rest of the things he said, like him not wanting to leave me alone. If he didn't really care about me he would've never said that either, would you?" again Harry shook his head 'no.'

"Ginny, I know what I said hurt you and yesterday night when I saw that, that's exactly how I felt, but that's not what I feel now and I didn't ever feel like that any time before that note and picture." said Harry, his voice low and thick with emotion.

"Like I said Harry, I know." She shook out of Ron's grasp and walked over to where Harry and Hermione were. Hermione wisely backed away, and then she circled around them and went to Ron, and pulled him out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione closed the door behind them. Ron turned on her, "Hermione, why'd you do that?" he asked angrily.

"Because Ron, Ginny and Harry need to sort this out between them without her big brother lurking around them," she said.

"But he hurt her deeply!" he practically shouted.

"I know all the more reason why we need to let them be alone." She dragged a reluctant Ron away from the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry I was so terrible last night in Dumbledore's office. He was right, the only person who should've been angry was you, but you're not; you're more level headed then me, or Ron," apologized Harry, not sure if he should reach out to her, so he didn't.

"I am angry, but not at the situation, I'm angry at you." Ginny said with a quiet calm that held her control in check. Harry winced at her obvious coolness in her voice towards him.

"I've told you before that I'm not going to let this thing, this problem stop us from trying, but you have to want to try to." She finished.

Harry opened his mouth to respond back, but she impatiently waved it away. "Let me finish" she said just as cool and calm. Harry snapped his mouth shut, he knew that if he wanted to salvage what he could with her, he would have to do what she said, and right now he felt that he would and could do anything she asked him to.

"I don't need you as my protector I need you as my friend and my boyfriend. I need you to be the person I can come to if I need to cry without you jumping up wanting to hit whoever or whatever caused me to cry." She said to him sadly.

"But I want to protect you, it doesn't feel like I'm doing enough by just loving you or being there to hold you. I enjoy those things; I just want to be able to do more." He said back.

She looked into his sad, sad green eyes and said, "You're doing more then enough by just doing those things. Let the Professors and Dumbledore and the Order do the rest. When I say I don't need a protector I only mean I don't want you to go running after whoever hurt me, but if you are with me and I for some reason can't do anything to help myself then it would be okay for you to protect me. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"I think so you're saying you want me to protect you but not to the point where it gets me in trouble, and to not go looking for it right? And only try when you need it," Said Harry, desperate to understand so he could keep her in his life.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying." she confirmed.

Ginny and Harry stayed in the Room of Requirement until lunch. When they came down to eat, both were much happier and Ron had significantly cooled down.

The rest of the Sunday went by pleasantly but too fast for Harry. The four friends just kicked back wherever they felt like it and were talking like old mates again. Harry was dreading his detention with Professor Dumbledore but he knew he deserved it. At dinner they ate quietly, every once in a while one of them would look at Harry to see if he was alright or if he was going to go mad again. They felt sorry for him but they knew he deserved it, just like he did.

Harry watched up at the Head table and when he saw Dumbledore get up he soon followed. He got up took a deep breath, and with a reassuring squeeze of the hand from Ginny he said softly, "I'll see you all later." He headed out of the Great Hall.

He met Dumbledore in the hall and he motioned for Harry to follow him. No words were spoken between the two of them.

When they reached his office and Harry saw with a sinking heart there in the middle of the room Remus, looking grim. He also saw that whatever Dumbledore had in mind he would be doing it in here under their watchful gaze.

Dumbledore's office had been rearranged probably by Remus when Harry and Dumbledore were eating their dinners. Dumbledore's desk, his chair, and Fawkes had been moved to one side of the circular room. On the other side, was a single long table and one chair. It was piled high with books and objects, all looking dull, dirty and in the books case, tattered too.

"What you are seeing Harry are last years used books and several knickknacks they were all used and then tossed aside. It is my job every year to appoint one student to clean all this up and make it look respectable to re-sell in the used shops at Diagon Alley. It sounds easy, and it normally is. That student is allowed to use any magic whatsoever to fix whatever needs to be fixed, but not you, you will be cleaning the muggle way, with polishing detergent, rags, soap and water. You are not to use your wand at any time, except when you have to erase quill marks in the books. You will serve detention here in my office every night until this whole pile is done. If you find something that is un-repairable then throw it away."

With a casual wave of his wand water, soap, rags and polishing detergent also showed up on the table. He motioned for Harry to sit down at the solitary chair there. When he sat down Dumbledore said "begin."

After Harry sat down he looked at the pile of things there and all of the sudden the pile seemed ten times higher then it looked when he first glanced at it. _"Well"_ Harry thought,

"_At least he's calling me by my first name again."_ Slowly he picked up the nearest thing to his hand, it was a book, and he began turning the pages one by one looking for quill marks, tears, or ripped out pages.

He came to a page that had a small tear in it he wondered what he should do, should he throw it away? He looked up at Dumbledore and Remus debating on whether he should ask them about it. He saw they were in a deep and quiet discussion. Remus must've felt Harry watching them because he looked up at Harry and said, "Do you have a question?"

"Yes, what do I do when I come to a tear in a page or a page that is ripped out?" He asked humbly.

It was Dumbledore who answered. "If there is a small rip then you may also use your wand to repair it, but if there is a bigger tear like halfway up or a page completely ripped out, throw it away." Just as Dumbledore said that a trash can flew across the room and landed next to Harry's feet. Then Dumbledore and Remus returned to their discussion.

Harry took out his wand and quietly said, _"Repairo,"_ and the page healed itself. After he was done looking through the rest of the book he took a rag wet it down and wiped the leather cover and back gently until it shined.

Harry did not know how much time had passed, all he knew was that his arm was soar from the flipping of pages, and scrubbing and his eyes were crossing. When Dumbledore said he was finished for the night Harry got up from his chair and shuffled towards the door.

He stopped and turned around to his beloved Headmaster. "Professor Dumbledore sir? I don't know how much this will mean to you if at all but I am truly sorry for the way I behaved yesterday, I regretted it from the very instant I said it." He told him regret plainly and truthfully clear all over his face and in his voice.

"You are forgiven Harry; I will see you tomorrow night after dinner again to continue with your detention," said Dumbledore. Harry turned resolutely and went out the door. After Harry was gone he turned to Remus, "Remus, do you think I was too hard on the boy?" he asked.

Remus thought for a moment and shook his head. "No Albus, I think what you did was just right." He said firmly to the older man.

Dumbledore felt relieved, "Thank you Remus, you have no idea how much you eased my troubled mind. Now regarding Miss Weasley, how do you think we can help her without too much suspicion or notice?"

While Remus and Dumbledore were still discussing Ginny, Harry made his way to the Tower. Students were still out so he knew he has at least not been kept until curfew.


End file.
